Fujin's Wind
by Foxcomm
Summary: Another trial story. Naruto kept looking after reading the Kage Bunshin and found a scroll that is known to kill those that try to read it. But with the Kyuubi, he survives and gained the knowledge of three generations of Wind users. Dark er Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes: Still experimenting to see just which story I am writing catches my attention the most. With two of mine done, I need a new project. But the problem is, I just find the right one. If I don't work on this after a while, feel free to type up the next chapter and send it to me. If I like it, you can adopt this. Same thing with my other stories.

—oo000oo—

Naruto unrolled the scroll he took from the vault in the Hokage Tower and read the first one. "Kage Bunshin!? I can never get away from clones!" He sighed, "Okay, okay, relax. Just take it slow." He began to read it but he couldn't help but notice the seal next to the Kage Bunshin. He shrugged and memorized the Kage Bunshin before looking at it. "What is this?" He held the paper by the edge and got a paper cut on his finger. "Ah!" A drop fell on the seal and he panicked. He was only supposed to learn from it, not damage it! But the seal glowed red for a moment, making him watch it in amazement. He squeezed the finger until a lot more came out and he spread all over the seal. There was a puff of smoke and a scroll the same size as Forbidden Scroll appeared. He looked at the title and read it aloud. "Fujin's Wind?" Shrugging, he unrolled that as well.

_'To whoever so finds this scroll, know this. This is my complete life's work. Inside is my experience as a shinobi. I have found a way to implant my knowledge into this scroll and through a extremely complex array of seals, I am able to transfer this knowledge to you, the reader. But all things has a price and stipulations. First, you must be of the wind element. If you are not and try to use it, it will...' _Naruto grew bored with the introduction and skipped forward. _'...Must have good endurance or else it will not work. Now to proceed, you must first spread your chakra infused blood over the first seal. When you do, the rest will work by itself. Remember, this will only give you the knowledge, not the experience of my life. I was, in my time, the strongest Wind user ever. This will show through you. And once this is used once, it cannot b used again. You must make the scroll again before you die, as was by my predecessor, and his before him. This is how it has been for a long time. Three generations of ninja have done this. You are now the Fourth. Good luck, Fujin, for that will be your title before you die, you will be the Wind God.'_

Naruto grinned like a maniac and did as the scroll instructed. Before passing out from pain. What he had neglected to read was that those not strong enough or without the wind element would die from the sealing. Even unconscious, he thrashed around and roared in agony. But as the damage was done, it was healed. After near an hour of the most indescribable pain he had ever felt, Naruto stopped and soon woke up. "Great ramen god, my head is splitting." He sat up, wiped his forehead of sweat, and wished for a breeze. Without even meaning to, he waved his hand and there was a breeze. He practically moaned in pleasure as it caressed his skin. After a half hour, the pain was gone and he looked at the scroll. It was completely blank. The odd thing was, he knew how to recreate it. And he now knew all of the 'intro' as he had put it. It was a warning to keep him from killing himself. "Fujin, I'm an idiot," he said, wiping his hands down his face. Hoping not to get caught, he returned the scroll inside the other and smirked when he realized what he had done. He created that breeze, he just sealed something without even being taught how. Feeling the best he had ever felt in his life, he looked at the Kage Bunshin and began to practice it, already seeing how to combine it with his wind element to make it stronger. Mizuki-sensei was in for one hell of a surprise! He was going to pass for sure!

—oo000oo—

"I passed alright," he muttered later that evening after Iruka-sensei gave him his personal headband.

"I don't know that jutsu, Naruto," Iruka said to him while eating some ramen. "What was it?"

"Uhm, I'm not sure if I should say, Iruka-sensei."

"A name then? You never said it."

"Because I don't have a name for it yet. I made it."

"Huh? You took the Kage Bunshin and improved it?"

Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess I did. ...I can't believe it though. This is so much to take in."

"You're telling me... When that clone exploded, why were there slashes in everything around it?"

"...That is the secret, Iruka-sensei. It was wind, I made the clone out of wind as well as whatever the kage bunshin is made out of. What?"

Iruka looked shocked. "Naruto, you mean to tell me you didn't completely understand what made it work before going to work on it!?"

"I didn't," Naruto replied. "Should I have?"

"Yes! People have literally blown themselves to pieces trying to do that! ...How did you do it?"

Naruto shrugged, "I have no idea. I just knew that it would work once I figured it out."

—oo000oo—

The next day, Naruto stood atop the Hokage Monument. He knew he was skilled enough to do it but up until now, he had only done this from trees, then buildings when no one could see. Taking a deep breath, he took several steps back from the edge before running off it. His hands flew through their signs and he was suddenly jerked when he almost stopped falling. He about levitated down, much like a feather falling. He touched down on the roof of the Hokage Tower and grinned. "Watch out Konoha, Fujin Naruto has arrived!"

—oo000oo—

He leaned back in his chair, wishing he could be spending his time with Konohamaru. At least he kept it interesting. He sighed before looking around the room. "What?" People were staring at him again. He had replaced his 'kill me' orange jumpsuit with a light armor. It was a black sneaking suit for the most part that covered his chest, neck, waist, legs, feet, and hands. Over his lower legs and feet, his fore arms and the top of his hands, and his chest, back, the side of his legs, and around his waist were plates of a light alloy that would deflect most kunai and shurikens. There was also a mask with the same thing. The plates were colored dark orange. He wouldn't get rid of all of it. It looked like one of the ninja uniforms from over a thousand years ago instead of what they used now.

"Stop trying to act cool," Sakura screeched.

"I am not trying to act 'cool," Naruto growled. "I am trying to stay alive. Maybe it hasn't reached that pea brain of yours but we are now the blades and weapons of the village. We _will_ go out there and kill people. And they _will_ try to kill us in return. I am not dressed like this to get your attention. Is any of this reaching you, or are you too busy fantasizing about jumping Sasuke to even realize you could very well die within the next year?" Sakura was too shocked to speak, Naruto never talked to her like that. He begged her for dates, not insult her. "Because as you are, a useless fan girl, you would only be a burden to whatever team you are put on. You have no real skill. Yes, we are barely more than students. But even I know more than the academy ninjutsu. Wait, let me guess, you are banking on whenever you get in trouble, _Sasuke-kun_ will come to your rescue. As if, bitch. I wouldn't even bother."

Everyone there had dropped their mouths at hearing that, including the jonin that had just walked in to get their teams. "Naruto," Iruka said from the front, "you do realize that you are on the same team as her, right?"

"Oh goody," Naruto muttered before sighing. "I am sorry, Iruka-sensei. I have been...on edge ever since Mizuki."

Iruka nodded, "I understand that, Naruto. But not everyone in the village will betray you."

"And hardly anyone will watch out for me," he replied. "I just hope our sensei gets here soon."

Kiba turned to look at him. "What do you mean 'Mizuki' and 'betray'?"

Naruto sighed again. "I mean, he used me to try to steal a scroll of the Hokage filled with jutsu. I stopped him... To be precise, I blew his arm off and left him a bloody mess."

"As if, dobe," Sasuke said to him.

"...He is telling the truth," Iruka told him, shocking everyone there. "Mizuki was pronounced dead, three days ago, trying to steal the Forbidden Scroll." Everyone looked at Naruto and began to edge away from him.

"Like I care," Naruto muttered. "The only ones worth my attention here is my friends, what few I have."

"And they are," Ino asked.

Naruto leveled his gaze on her and she shrank back. "Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba. Maybe Hinata, she has never said anything bad about me, unlike the rest of you." He looked around and grinned under his mask. He was about to give one of them a bad hair day they would never recover from. "Hmm. Ino or Sakura? Ino or Sakura?"

"What about me," the two asked. "I'm not going on a date with you!"

"I was actually thinking about who to mess with until either Ino leaves or my team leaves." He flicked a finger and a scratch was carved into the desk.

"Touch me and I will beat you to hell, Naruto," Sakura screamed.

Ino was about to say something but her jonin sensei arrived and took them away. "And then there was one," Naruto said with a grin.

"Naruto, stop it," Iruka ordered. "I think we need to go speak with the Hokage, now."

"Fine," Naruto said, getting up from the back of the room. As he headed out, he passed by Hinata and saw concern in her eyes. But for him, not herself. He put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I am sorry if I scared you, Hinata. I... I have just been going through a change is all." She 'eep', blushed, and nodded while he walked by. When he walked out, she passed out.

—oo000oo—

"Naruto, why are you so mad at Sakura," Sarutobi asked.

"Because she isn't serious about being a ninja, Old Man," Naruto told him. "She sounds like a banshee so she can't hide if Sasuke so much as looks at her. She is always on a diet so she doesn't have the muscle mass to be of use in strength. The first thing she did when she found out I was on her team was groan and said she would refuse to work with me! How did she get this far!?" He sighed again and took off his mask to breath easier. "I'm sorry, this is all just too much. The Kyuubi, Mizuki, and learning what a jinchuuriki is has taken it out of me."

"Learning what," Iruka asked.

Naruto looked down. "It was in the scroll. A jinchuuriki is...just a weapon of the village that makes it. The First Hokage captured all of them and gave eight to the other great ninja villages while keeping the Kyuubi. I was born as just a weapon. Unless that it attacked us isn't a lie either. Which means we lost control of it so it was sealed in me to save our skins. Better to sacrifice one boy than the entire village."

"No, Naruto, you are not a weapon or a sacrifice," Sarutobi told him vehemently. "You are a hero that saved us from the Kyuubi."

"So I was convenient."

"No, Naruto," Iruka told him. "You were not just convenient. No one wanted that of you."

"But they want it now," Naruto replied. He looked at his hands and clenched his fist. "You think I don't hear the whispers? People muttering how they wished I was gone. Or that man with one arm, how he would look at me as if he wished he owned me. Because I know now he does. I have the Kyuubi inside me, why shouldn't he. Control me, control it. And what would my class do if they found out. They would distance me as far as they could, maybe even outright attack me... I don't want to be on a team with them. People want me gone, I should go. Put me in ANBU or something."

"No," Sarutobi yelled. "Naruto, most of those men don't survive their missions!"

"Then the council will get off your back," Naruto told him. "I've heard their whispers as well."

Both men were heartbroken by what he was saying. Naruto knew that they wanted him dead and he was willing to go along with it. "...I've failed you, haven't I," Sarutobi asked.

"No, Old Man," Naruto said, hugging him. "You cared and tried your best. But one man, even a Hokage, cannot hold back the tide, especially one of darkness. Please, let me do this." Reluctantly, he nodded.

—oo000oo—

Iruka walked back into the class and found Sasuke and Sakura still there. "Naruto will not be joining you as your teammate."

"Ha," Sakura shouted. "I knew he didn't have what it takes to be a ninja!"

"Why not," Sasuke asked.

"Because he requested something that only the Hokage can do. Suffice it to say that for the time being, you will be a two man cell."

"Two man cell," Kakashi asked as he walked in. He looked around and only saw Sasuke and Sakura. "Where is the third one. Where is Naruto?"

Iruka was quiet for a moment. "He asked the Hokage to send him on suicide missions. Naruto has joined ANBU as a trainee."

"WHAT," Sasuke demanded. "Why should he get special treatment!? He was dead last!"

"Sasuke-kun is right, he should be getting that training, not Naruto!"

"Shut up," Kakashi shouted. "Did you not hear what he asked? _'Suicide missions'_. He wants to die but can't kill himself."

"Why can't a person kill himself," Sakura asked, not even getting the implications.

"Because he heals too fast," Iruka told them. "Now, you should go. I...have things to do to get ready for my next class."

—oo000oo—

Naruto picked up the head and looked at it. "And you thought you were invincible, Aoi," he said to him. He pocketed the Raijin and sealed the head inside a scroll. He really only needed the sword to prove it but it was a gift for Ibiki. His friend had told him the details of this bastard's particular escape. He stopped not long after heading back and found a flower patch. He smiled as he grabbed a few for his other friend in ANBU. Anko would love them. Briefly, he wondered if it was a good thing if he was friends with the village's top two interrogation specialist. But knew that no one else would. When he got back to the village, he slipped back over the wall unseen and went to the Hokage's office. "ANBU Kitsune returning, mission accomplished," he said to Sarutobi. The old man grinned and took the sword.

"Good job, Kitsune. The Council is going to have another fit. But the odd thing is, they were expecting you to come out of it alive this time."

"Oh?"

"Yes. They have your next mission here. And you are not going to like it." He handed the scroll to Naruto and he waited for the explosion.

"I refuse! If this is correct, Kakashi disobeyed village law by taking them farther once they learned the client had lied! If he is in over his head, he should get himself out of it!"

"Naruto," Sarutobi said, getting his attention instantly as he almost never referred to him as Naruto anymore, he was Kitsune now. "I agree...if it was just that. But he is an instructor and took a genin team out with him."

Naruto was silent for a long time. "Who?"

"A boy named Sai, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura. You should probably read the rest of that scroll."

Naruto grimace, more bad news. He finished it and was silent. Sarutobi counted down and the scrolled was cut to pieces and scattered around the room. "I will die before I train that...that arrogant, pampered... The Council is so busy kissing his ass that he could betray the village and they would demand him returned instead of killed!"

Sarutobi agreed. "But there is some good news, Naruto."

"What is that?"

"I already know his element. He is lightning and fire. You are purely wind. He could try all he wants and he will never be able to do what you do."

Naruto sighed before smiling under his plate mask. "I guess that is a comfort. And I only have to train him until Kakashi can take over again." He rotated his head, working a kink out of the muscles in his neck. "I have to go give a few things to Anko and Ibiki. So I will leave in a few days."

"Okay, sleep well, Kitsune." Naruto nodded to him before he used the wind style shushin.

—oo000oo—

"Am I late," he asked when he entered the training field. When he had offered to help train Team Eight, they had jumped at it.

"Not at all, Kitsune-kun," Kurenai said to him. "Your mission was a success, I see."

"Of course," he replied. "Now, where did we leave off?"

"Tai-Taijutsu, Kitsune-san," Hinata stuttered. Naruto suspected she knew who he was along with the others. Kiba with his nose, Shino with his insects, and Hinata's eyes, it was almost a sure thing.

"Right. Okay, pair up with a clone." He created a shadow clone for each and had them spar against them. As they did, Naruto would occasionally stop them and correct something he saw them doing wrong. Whenever they got it, he had the clone take the skill level up more. Soon, the three of them were all on the ground, with Hinata taking the longest with her Byakugan. "Well done. Now, I have a mission tomorrow so I will be gone for a few weeks."

"What is it," Kiba asked, panting.

"A team got in over their head and is requesting additional help with the mission," Naruto replied. "Now, since you are done with my training for today, I am going to go. Take care." As he walked away, he could feel Hinata watching and he nodded to himself. _'Yeah, she knows.'_

—oo000oo—

"Hello," Naruto called when he landed outside the house of the client. He had altered his mask so it now looked like a fox but his armor was still the same. Everyone from that day knew who he was so he didn't expect a good welcome. He went to the door and opened it. "I am your..." He threw a hand to the side and two shurikens fell to the ground, cut in half. "Backup."

"...I don't believe it, the dobe," Sasuke said from the kitchen table. "You still alive?"

"Obviously. Not only that, I now outrank you, do not call me that again. I am Kitsune-san, Kitsune, hell, even Kitsune-teme, nothing else."

"Yeah right," Sakura laughed. "Who is here with you!?"

"He works alone," Sai told them. "When I sent back the message, I did not expect them to send you, Kitsune-san."

"They did. You, Sai, I like. But, obviously, you knew that you were not supposed to continue the mission so why did you?"

"What do you mean," Sasuke asked Sai, "the dobe works alone?"

"I am still getting those suicide missions, genin," Naruto growled. "Watch what you say or I will put you on report."

"You can't order," Sakura started. Naruto finished it when he suddenly appeared right in front of her with a fist in her gut.

"I can and am," he told her. "You two are disobeying a direct order outside of battle. I intend to make it very clear to you two how things work. I am ANBU, _I_ make the decisions, _I_ say how it will be. _You _carry out my orders. _You_ will follow chain of command. Or _I_ will _kill you_ myself."

Sakura was coughing on the floor so she didn't reply. He looked at Sai and received a, "Yes, sir."

He looked at Sasuke and readied himself, he was considering what he saw. Naruto knew he didn't see him move right then. Plus, he was no doubt considering him cutting those weapons in half without a weapon of his own. "Well?"

Sasuke openly scowled at Naruto but said, "Aye...aye sir."

"Good. When she can breath again, get her off the floor. Sai, take me to Kakashi." The ROOT agent lead him first to the living room to introduce him to the client and his family. Naruto instantly didn't like the kid when he told him he was going to die. "No I won't," Naruto told him calmly.

"Yes you will! You think that your armor or your fancy mask is going to save you!?"

"Inari, stop," Tazuna shouted, he knew what that mask meant. "Please don't hurt him, ANBU-san."

"I won't," Naruto replied. "What is so bad ass out here that 'I am going to die'?"

"Gatou," the kid said, assured that he was right. "No one can stand up against him."

"Gatou...Gatou... Ah, yes. Shipping, slavery, drug dealing. Known to hire missing ninja and then killing them with a large number of thugs. Keeps two disgraced samurai as his own body guards. How is he going to kill me?" Inari was about to replied but Naruto continued. "Keep in mind I have been stabbed, crushed, bludgeoned, and set on fire." Everyone there widened their eyes at his announcement. "Let me tell you something about 'being killed'. I do not wear this mask for nothing. I wear it, because the council of Konoha wants me dead so badly, they send me on suicide missions. Where no normal human has a chance to survive. And each and every time, I have and I completed the mission. I am here alone because it doesn't matter that Zabuza is out there, waiting to kill us. I will complete the mission, alone if need be. Sai, Kakashi."

He took him up stairs and into the room. "Sensei," Sai said on entering. "ANBU Kitsune has arrived as backup."

"Not backup," Naruto corrected. "I am now in charge of the mission."

"What," Kakashi asked. He looked at him and didn't believe what he saw. An ANBU the size of his students was saying he was relieved of command. "By whose authority?"

"The Council _and_ the Hokage. Remember this, Kakashi, I am ANBU, you are only a Jonin now."

Kakashi frowned under his mask, "Technically, you are right. But..."

"No buts. You brought them out here to feed your ego."

"Missions change all the time."

"Yeah, from say C to B, not C to A or low S. You, by all rights, should have taken them back and..."

"I was under orders," Kakashi confessed.

"What?"

"The Council had me appear before them before we left for the mission. They told me the real situation and ordered me to continue it."

"...Why?"

Kakashi sighed and continued. "I will repeat what I was told when I asked that same thing. 'The Sharigan thrives on conflict that is hard to survive. This is sure to bring it out.' Meaning..."

"Meaning the rest of your team or even you be damned," Naruto finished. "Just so long as they can get a second Sharigan." All three looked at the door when the heard a girl yelling. "You need to teach your genin how things are. That even if they knew me, they have to respect the rank."

"...I am trying but Sasuke respects power while Sakura... You were right about her."

"I know. Keeping careful notes for Danzou, Sai?"

"You know?"

"How couldn't I? That smile is as fake as I have ever seen. Go ahead, report it, doesn't matter to me in the end. What will the council do, try to kill me?" He rubbed his arm where criss-crossing slash scars could be seen. They were fading and in another week, would be gone like the others. "So the problem is Gatou?"

"In the long run but..."

"I am in command, Kakashi. But I won't put you on report for this. You should have told the Hokage but that is in the past now. I will be back when I am done." He stood up and left the room. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Sakura throwing a tantrum.

"Who does that dobe think he is!? He can't just order us around! I swear, next time I see him, I will give him a piece of my mind."

"Then give it," Naruto ordered, making her jump. "I am right here, give it to me." She turned around, scared. "Problem? You were so brave when you thought I wasn't here. I am ordering you, give me a piece of your mind. Get it out in the open. And when it is done, I will go on with my mission."

She took a moment and gathered her courage. "You will forever be just the dead last! You have no right to order us around, hit me, or say those things to us! You are lucky Sasuke-kun doesn't see you as worth his time or he would kill you!"

"Finish?"

"NO! You are a horrible person, just like my parents said! You are probably alone because your parents couldn't stand you! There is no one in this universe, much less planet, that could ever stand to be with you!"

"Thats right, let it out."

"You are rude, selfish, a, a demon! Some one like you shouldn't be born! I wish you would just die!" She stopped ranting and caught her breath.

"Done? Good. I will remember each and everyone when I make my report on you. As for Sasuke, he doesn't do anything because he realized that I could kill him just as easily as you. Well, no, that isn't true. The only thing that would be that easy is a bug I stepped on while I was heading this way. I do have the right to do those things, Sakura. I comes with this mask. And as for those insults..." A slap was heard and she was on the floor, holding her face. "My parents may have been nobodies but you will damn well speak of the dead with respect! When I come back, I will start training you three. And I will run you into the ground." He turned and left the house.

—oo000oo—

"It's basic," Naruto growled. "ANBU, highest ranking ninja in Konoha besides the Hokage himself. Identified by the animal mask they wear." He caught another thug, killed him, and tossed his body aside. "Not that difficult." He sent several blades of wind at a samurai and barely noticed the body fall to pieces. "Shut up," he shouted at the midget business man that was screaming in terror. "I will deal with you in a second." He sent another blast of wind at a thug and he was crushed by it and the wall. "Now it is time for you to die."

"W-Wait, please! I will pay you anything! J-Just don't k-kill me!"

"I said shut up," Naruto said before crushing his wind pipe. He then grasped the air and a barely visible blade appeared. With a single stroke, he severed his head from his body. He sealed it inside a scroll and made several clones. "Gather together everyone thing of value, down to the last ryu. Account numbers, bonds, everything." They scattered and Naruto turned around to see a Kiri hunter ninja.

"You killed him," he stated.

"He stood against me and the mission."

"We weren't paid."

"I don't care."

"...Would you mind if I..." Naruto picked up a gold ingot a clone carried and tossed it to him. "Thank you. But why let me go?"

"You are not my concern," Naruto replied. "Wish Zabuza good luck with Kiri for me. Or what ever it is he has planned."

"I will..."

"Kitsune. My handle is Kitsune. But I prefer Fujin."

"I will, Fujin." He walked away and Naruto continued to ransack the house.

—oo000oo—

"I said move, Sakura," Naruto growled to her when she fell down. "This isn't an option."

"You have been working us for three hours straight! We need to rest!"

"As a trainee, I was worked from when I woke to when I slept! You want to complain, go through what I did. Now I ordered you to run!"

"Kitsune," Kakashi called, stopping him. "You have to stop."

"They weren't ready for this mission! I will get them to the point that they are!"

"Kitsune, enough," he said again. "I know you are mad but you can't train them like you would train yourself."

"I..."

"Stop, they need rest."

Naruto wanted to argue but he let the breath he had for it out. "I was ordered to train them. To get them as strong as I am. It will never happen but it is still an order."

"...Walk with me. You three, take the rest of today and tomorrow off to recover." He led Naruto into the forest around the house. "You know, I once abandoned a teammate because I followed orders. She would die years later. But my other teammate, the one that went after her, did die that mission. Because I followed orders. Now, we both are making that mistake."

"But..."

"You be quiet and listen to a person that has learned more than you. I know that training, I went through it myself. It almost killed me because that is what it is meant to do. You don't know it because of the fox. But there is a fatality rate in going through ANBU training just so you are more prepared for the missions you do. I read your file about a month ago. Three months an ANBU and as many B, A, and S missions as there are weeks in that time completed. Someone is trying to work you to death, both you and I know. Someone hates you so much as to do this to you. But don't let them win in your heart and mind. You are still you in the end."

"...I wish I was sure of that," Naruto muttered. His personality had changed with using that scroll. "I will ease off. Just so long as you actually start training them."

"You have my word. Head on back, you aren't needed here and you can report your mission a success."

Naruto nodded before turning around and walking back home. Walking like he was, a few hour run would take him a day or two, just what he needed to relax.

—oo000oo—

"Your next mission, ANBU Kitsune," Councilman Haruno said to him, "is to go into Tea and get this." He handed Naruto a picture of some ancient relic. "Because of the danger of the mission, we are assigning a team to shadow you."

"Who are they?"

"ANBU, like you. There are reports of hostile ninja in the area so they are to keep them at bay. You are too infiltrate the temple, avoid or the kill the guardians, and get it."

Naruto looked at the relic again and thought about it. This was the first time the Hokage didn't brief him. Plus he didn't like the backup. But they couldn't send ANBU on anything as only the Hokage had control of them. So he would hold off in saying it was a trap to kill him. For now.

—oo000oo—

He had been right though, it was as dangerous as they said and nothing went wrong with the squad. They were resting on the monument of the First Hokage at the Vally of the End at the moment. Naruto was looking around, making sure no one was sneaking up behind them. He forgot to make sure no one was sneaking behind him. A tiger hit him and threw him to the ground. He shoved his fist into the back of its throat and began to choke it. But it still had claws. It slashed his mask, tearing out his right eye. Roaring in pain, he put his feet to its chest and pushed, sending it over the edge into the river below. He jumped to his feet and snarled at the ANBU that were surrounding him. "I will kill you ROOT for this!"

"I doubt it," one told him. "You are quite strong, Kitsune, to strong. Lord Danzou has ordered your death." One to Naruto's blind spot started going through handsigns. Naruto only knew because he heard him. He created a barrier of wind as the fireball hit it. There was an explosion and most of the ninja were thrown clear.

They searched for an half hour for his body. "Find anything," the leader called.

"Yeah!" One of them held up Naruto's broken, bloody fox mask. "Mission accomplished, sir." They headed back and Naruto climbed out of a crag. His eye was regrowing already. He didn't know that it could. Likely the scars this time were for good. His mask from before ANBU on again, he climbed up to a ledge. He told them he was going to kill them, he couldn't just lie to them. He climbed up the cliff wall and went after them, using a clone to cover his blind spot. He came to the first straggler and killed him with a daitoppa, throwing him against a tree with the force to break his spine and skull.

It wasn't long before they missed their rear guard. "Evening gentlemen," Naruto's clone said when finally they stopped. "We have unfinished business."

"You should have ran Kitsune," one said to him.

"Can't, I said I would kill you." They all started handsigns. But Naruto, having stayed hidden, had already been going through them. The several shuriken sized blades formed and were thrown at them, stopping their attacks. The clone then finished his jutsu. A tornado formed around him and began to pulled them in. Then at the top of it, it narrowed and split into three ends. Two of them formed claws while the middle, largest one, formed a dragon head. It dived at them, slashing with its claws.

One of the remaining three didn't move fast enough and was caught in it. He spun around in the air until his body was torn apart by it. "Karyudan no jutsu," one of the ROOT called out. A fire dragon flew at the wind dragon, destroying both it and the clone.

"I see Danzou did his homework," Naruto stated. "Do tell, how much is known about my skills?"

"Barely anything beyond you use wind," the leader told him. He didn't want to take the mission as he respected Kitsune for always surviving, even if it was because of the fox. "I will see you in hell, Kitsune."

"You will be going there today, I won't." Naruto flipped into the air, jumping from branch to branch until he reached pass the canopy. He jumped up as high as he could and floated there in the sun. He started going through a handsigns and called out, "Hell's Twister!" Down on the ground, the wind in all directions began to spin to the location below him. It soon picked up to the point that they had to use chakra to remain where they were. But even trees were being pulled out of the ground. One of said trees hit the leader, killing him. The last man tried to stay on the ground but even it was pulled up and he was pulled inside the tornado. Where a broken branch speared him in the chest.

Naruto dropped down to the ground, collected their heads, sealed them in a scroll. He then took out a different scroll. He took off his armor and dyed his hair silver. Taking makeup, he covered up his whisker marks while using wax to create a twisted scar that went over his lips. He then put on some civilian clothing and sealed his armor and headband away before heading back.

He got there and headed to the Hokage Tower. "Hello, ma'am, I need to speak with the Hokage."

"What about?"

"Orochimaru." She sent him right in. "Old Man, I can stand them trying to kill me through missions. But only when it gets me killed."

Sarutobi sighed and said, "What happened, Naruto?"

"The council sent me on a mission to retrieve a artifact, some ancient spear, in Tea Country. My back up was a squad of ANBU. Too bad they were ROOT as well."

"Oh no, are you okay?"

"I am, it is nothing permanent, they are not. When you see them, and no doubt you will soon, open this scroll in front of them." He gave him the scroll with the heads sealed inside. "But I have to leave."

"Naruto..."

"The council just killed a team trying to kill me. I am leaving, old man."

Sarutobi sighed, stood up, and shook his hand. "I wish you well on your endeavors, sir." He made a motion with his hand and his ANBU revealed themselves in the room. The ones that knew Naruto said their goodbyes and those that didn't nodded to him and wished him well. Naruto left, went to his apartment, retrieved his possessions, and went to find Ibiki and Anko. He hated leaving his friends to here but he had to.

He was on his way out that he heard a girl call, "WAIT!" He turned around and saw Hinata running up. "Wait a minute!" She had ran herself ragged to catch him when Anko told Kurenai. "N-Naruto, I...I... Screw it!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. " I wish you didn't have to go," she cried into his shirt.

"I wish so as well, Hinata."

"...Take me with you," she suddenly said.

"What?"

"Take me as well. No one here cares about me but my team. But I care about you more."

Naruto struggled to find an answer. He looked around and then back at her. "We are never coming back, Hinata, can you live with that?"

"Yes."

"Then lets go."

—oo000oo—

Sarutobi rubbed his chin as they informed him of the tragic news. "I am afraid that ANBU Kitsune has died," Homura told him. "He was on a mission to Tea country when he died. The ninja we sent as backup is returning now with his mask as they couldn't collect his body. I am sorry, Sarutobi, I..."

"You are a liar," he said to them. "I am disbanding this council."

"You can't," they roared.

"I can and the Daimyo supports me. Especially when I told him the particulars of this mission you sent Naruto on without my permission."

"You already knew," Koharu asked. "How?"

"This was sent to me by Naruto," he told them, holding up the scroll, shocking them. "Danzou, you missed." He unsealed the contents, showing them the heads. "Look familiar? They do to me, 'former' ROOT operatives. I ordered you to stop that program and yet here are four members, dead from trying to kill one of my best ANBU. Arrest him, Koharu, and Homura." Two ANBU appeared behind each of them. "You are charged with treason, all of you."

"You can't do this," Danzou roared.

"I am."

"We were your teammates," Homura shouted.

"That was so long ago, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters now is that you have been trying to kill a loyal ninja. He knew this and went with it because it would only get him killed. You cost this village the lives of four other ninja this time. Naruto insisted not to bother you for him. No such reason this time."

"Lord Hokage," Haruno started to say.

"Shut up! I will get to the rest of you in time! For now, you are placed under house arrest!"

"All for the demon brat," Hiashi demanded.

"All for the son of a good friend of mine," Sarutobi corrected. "Naruto is the son of the Forth Hokage and his wife Kushina. Get them out of my sight and execute those three." He turned around and left, hearing blades slide free and blood spill onto the floor.

—oo000oo—

Naruto set down Hinata and looked around. "W-Why are we h-here, Naruto-kun," Hinata asked. He had carried her all the way to the Land of Waves.

"Looking for some people."

"Wh-Who?"

Naruto smiled when he felt the air around them get disturbed. "Him. Hunter, come on out." The fake hunter ninja came out of the mist.

"Naruto-san, what are you doing here?"

"We came to speak with Zabuza. He wants Kiri, right?"

"Yes," Haku replied.

"Then a jinchuuriki should help his efforts. Especially if the Kiri jinchuuriki gets involved."

"You are right concerning that," Haku replied. "But I was under the impression that Konoha no longer used their jinchuuriki."

"Wh-What are you t-two t-talking about," Hinata asked.

"Hinata, I thought we worked your stuttering out," Naruto said to her.

"I'm...nervous, Naruto-kun."

"Okay, understandable. A jinchuuriki is a person that has a demon sealed inside of them. They are the strongest weapon of the village they belong to. The 'Great Five' all used to have two save Konoha. It only had one, the strongest of the nine. But because of carelessness, or betrayal, most have lost one or even both. Kumo has two, Kiri has one, Suna has one, Iwa and Konoha have none. While Taki has one now. And soon, if things go well, Kiri might just have two again." He grinned, looking rather evil with that fake twisted scar on his face. He remembered that and pulled it off. "Lets go speak with him and speak strategy."

"What about Konoha," Haku asked him.

"It can burn in hell."

—oo000oo—

Zabuza was laughing so hard it hurt. Konoha, like all the others, were stupid beyond belief with their jinchuuriki and forced him away. And he was literally looking at Zabuza for a purpose. "Alright, kid, I can use you. But what about the girl?"

"The girl is mine," Naruto told him. "Think nothing of her."

"...So, she is your tool like you will be mine?"

"Yes," Naruto said, not hesitating.

"And what will you get out of this?"

"You will make it so Kiri will accept me and the girl jinchuuriki, Nami."

"And?"

"And I will be your right hand, the one that guides the sword to kill the enemy. Haku your left, your shield. But most importantly, I want Konoha to see what they lost, what they tried to kill. I want them to see me while they whither and die. For that, I will strengthen Kiri until it is more powerful than any other force ever."

Zabuza smirked under his bandages. "I think we will get along just fine, Fujin."

"Of course, one demon can't help but work with another to reach its goals." He stood up and went to the door. "Hinata, follow me. We will see to it that we are ready to leave. Then our target is Nami." When they were away from Zabuza and Haku, he rounded on Hinata. She thought he was mad at her and already felt heartbroken by what he said earlier. But his eyes held sorrow, not anger. "I am sorry, Hinata. I do not trust Zabuza in knowing who you are. It is better he just see you as my slave or concubine than of someone of use to him."

"If you don't trust him, why work with him."

"I do trust him, just not with you. His motives are like that of a thief, simple. He wants to be the Mizukage. He will go about it anyway he wants but that is his goal. He will save the arm twisting for those that are of value to him. You could be one of those people."

"Then...why?"

"...We are ninja, Hinata, what else do we know?" She nodded after a moment, she knew he lived for no other reason anymore.

—oo000oo—

"What are you going to teach me today," Sasuke asked Kakashi.

"I'm not," he replied, a grin under his mask. "Sai, I am to inform you that Danzou has been killed and ROOT is now completely disbanded and being rounded up as traitors. A friend though has put in the good word for you and your brother. You are to be left free."

"...Root, what is that," Sakura asked. "And who is that friend?"

"ROOT is a secret organization trained and created by a man named Danzou to made weapons out of ninja. Emotionless weapons. And that friend was ANBU Kitsune."

"Why aren't you teaching me," Sasuke demanded.

"Because you are being brought up on insubordination charges, you and Sakura," Kakashi said, all too happy. "You disobeyed the order of a ninja higher ranking than you. You also attacked him."

"The Council will never let that go through," Sasuke said, smugly.

"If there was still a council, you would be right. But with three executions, and the others placed under house arrest for the attempted murder of the son of the Forth Hokage, you have no leg to stand on, and I don't have to put up with your shit."

"You can't do that! Konoha needs my Sharigan!"

Sai scoffed, "Konoha needs ninja like Kitsune. You don't have a Sharigan, you are a barely skilled genin. I would trade your life for a Klondike Bar." He ignored the screeching Sakura and turned to Kakashi. "You said the son of the Forth?"

"Yes, though I am sad to admit not seeing it. Uzumaki Naruto is actually Namikaze Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

"There is no way that baka is their child," Sakura shouted. "He's a..."

"He is a child that when placed in ANBU, survived training and over a dozen attempts to kill him," Sai told her. "He has more B, A, and S ranked missions accomplished than we have D ranked." He smiled suddenly, "Gentlemen, here to collect the prisoners?"

They all turned to see four ANBU there. "What prisoners," Sakura asked.

"I told you two, you are charged with insubordination. That is a felony," Kakashi told them.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can't be serious," she said again while Sasuke growled.

"I am. Feel lucky you are only under house arrest. Just don't fight them." He nodded to the ANBU who then stepped forward. Sakura screamed but didn't fight them. Sasuke went for his kunai. "DON'T!" Too late, he slashed at one of them. Kakashi tried to stop them but it was too late. They jumped back as one, pulled their swords, and stabbed them both into his arms. The blades were then twisted, making Sasuke roar in pain while the bones were broken. Kakashi sighed in relief. "I thought you were going to kill him, that is standard issue."

"I want my chance with him," the woman with a snake mask stated. Her partner, a much larger man with scars on what little could be seen of his skin, nodded in agreement. "The girl is inconsequential, I probably couldn't get five minutes out of her. But Sasuke here, through stubbornness or insanity, I'm not sure, will last a long time." Being none too gentle, they tied his arms around his back and took them away.

"Where is Naruto," Sai asked. "I want to thank him."

"He is gone, he left the village."

"What?"

"The council got four ninja killed when they ordered them to assassinate Naruto. He survived, of course."

"...You mean we have driven away the only child of the Forth?"

"Yes, Sai, that is exactly what I mean."

—oo000oo—

"I want to see my daughter," Hiashi growled to the ANBU guarding him.

"We can't help you," Wolf told him.

"Like hell you can't! She is my daughter, you will get her and bring her to me!"

"We have already brought you Hanabi," Bear told him.

"I mean my eldest daughter, Hinata!"

"Again, we can't help you," Wolf said.

"Why not!? Why can't I see my child!?"

"Because she has gone missing every since one of the ROOT decided it was better to blow himself up than be captured," he replied. In truth he wasn't sure if that was completely true. But with several ROOT preferring to go down fighting and taking people with them, it was more than likely that she was caught in the cross fire.

"She's dead?"

"We can't say, we just know she is missing." He wanted to kill him right there when Hiashi shrugged and said she had been worthless.

—oo000oo—

"You stance is too tight," Naruto told Hinata as he trained her. She was holding a sword in her hand and was going through several katas with Naruto. He made a slash, knocked her sword in the air, and caught it. "Now too loose. Hinata-chan, you must be better than this if we are going to survive. Plus, you have a shit load of untapped talent just waiting to be brought out. And with what you can see, you could be a great swordsman."

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I just never liked fighting and was never really good at it."

"You are good at it, Hinata. Maybe we are looking the wrong place to focus on your specialization. Haku?"

"Yes?"

"You are medic trained, correct?"

"Yes. You want her to study that?"

"Yes, see where she goes with it. I want her the best she can be so it won't hurt." He looked at the forest they were in and sighed. They were in the Water Country, getting ready for the attack. Naruto, in truth, wouldn't trust half the mercenaries they have to hold a kunai correctly. But they didn't need to do that, they just needed to be able to kill or capture the ones they were assigned. The plan was to remove the Mizukage and those around and loyal to him. Once they were dead, Zabuza would be named, by deed, Mizukage. Any that would dispute it would then face his right hand in combat. If they win and kill the hand, they could challenge Zabuza for the rank of Mizukage. Unfortunately for them, Naruto was Zabuza's right hand. "I am going to scout for information. Tell Zabuza that if I get the chance to capture Nami undetected, I will take it."

"I will. Now Hinata, I am going to give you a quick test to see how well you handle healing chakra, okay?"

—oo000oo—

Naruto looked around Kiri and felt like laughing. It was about in total chaos. More over, Nami was in a group _against_ the Mizukage. He felt generous suddenly and decided to move the plan forward himself. He walked up to the tower and was stopped by the guards. "Name and rank."

"Fujin, missing ninja formerly of Konoha." They were about to move but it was already to late for them. Naruto formed blades on his finger tips and moved his hands in a complex pattern. He stopped a moment later before blowing a breath at the both of them. They fell over, cut to pieces. He walked in, no one even noticing they were dead except for maybe one or two shocked ninja outside. He walked unchallenged through the tower until he got before the Mizukage's office. "Excuse me, ma'am, can you tell the Mizukage his two o' clock is here?"

"Just a moment," she said, not even looking up. "Sir, you have a guest."

"_What does he want?"_

Naruto didn't wait for her to repeat it. "I am here concerning the bounty on Momichi Zabuza."

She repeated it and the Mizukage replied, _"Send him in."_

Naruto walked in and found the Mizukage there with several ANBU. "You have seen Zabuza?"

"I have."

"Where is he?"

"That is my little secret. You know, you have done three things wrong right now."

"What are they?"

"One, you let me in. Two, you lightly guarded. Four man ANBU team for me, fucking insult. But your worst mistake," Naruto motioned to the sword on the wall behind him, "is you are not armed."

"An assassin," the Mizukage muttered. "You do know you are not getting out of here alive, right?"

"That you are wrong, I am the Kitsune of Konoha, the Fujin. And you die here, now." Three ANBU jumped at him while the last threw several weapons at him. A heart beak after they let loose, Naruto completed his handsigns. A sphere of spinning blades surrounded him. The three that jumped fell to the ground like they just went through a vegetable slicer. Naruto ran forward and hit the remaining ANBU, his hand drilling through his chest. The Mizukage had not been still during this. He had jumped up and went for his sword. Naruto sent a blast of wind and the blade and part of his clothes were shredded. "So, there is something special about you."

"Of course, I am the Mizukage." He turned around and Naruto his skin was rock. "I am the only person with a kekkie genkai in all of Water, brat."

"So that is why you killed them all. Well, guess what, you are not the only one." Naruto tore off the bandages over his right eye. The iris was blood red unlike his original eye. He pumped chakra into it and it became slitted. His sight in that eye changed. Naruto's vision became two fold. Infrared and chakra sensing. This was how the Kyuubi saw everything. There was no limit to its strength. He could make out the whole village from that eye and this height. Chakra pulsed along along the Mizukage's skin, making it that hard except for a few pin points. Spots only a Hyuuga could ever hope of hitting...besides Naruto.

"Nice eye, you steal it?"

"Nope, lost my old one and this grew in its place. I have a very special creature inside me."

His eyes widened at that. "Jinchuuriki," he whispered.

"He's catching on," Naruto said with a smile under his mask. "Normally, when I am injured, the wound just heals. But when something is totally destroyed, like my eye, it is replaced with the same part as a demon." Naruto's smiled turned to a smirk. "What do you think that means to you?" He didn't even look, he ran for the door. Before he reached it, Naruto did a dived, tripping him. "You're rock skin may have saved you from others," Naruto told him. "But I can see where it isn't rock. More over, it just protects you from the skin." The Mizukage closed his eyes and covered his mouth and nose. But he forgot those weren't the only openings in a person's body. Naruto slapped both hands over his ears, forcing the air in. This normally would have destroyed the eardrums. For Naruto, it destroyed his brain.

Naruto created two kage bunshin and sealed the Mizukage into a scroll while one henged into him and then Naruto changed into one of the ANBU. The remaining clone covered his chest in blood and laid on the floor. The 'Mizukage' went to his intercom and paged his secretary. "Get in here," he growled. A moment later, she walked in and looked like she was going to be sick. "Mind explaining why this assassin was able to get this far?"

"I...I... Oh Kami, I'm going to die..."

"I will deal with you later," the clone told her. He looked at Naruto. "Take that body to the ANBU HQ and perform the autopsy."

"Hai, Mizukage-sama." Naruto hoisted the clone up on his shoulder and left. While he was in the stair well and alone, he dismissed that clone and made his way out of the city. It had all been too easy in his opinion. He was so sure of his ability that he grew arrogant. Something Naruto would be wise to learn from.

He returned to camp and found Haku was still teaching Hinata. "I take it she can?"

"Yes, she is surprisingly good at it," Haku replied.

"Good. I must speak with Zabuza, I will return soon."

—oo000oo—

Kiri didn't know how to take it the next day. The Mizukage was impaled on the sword of his own statue and the man that did it was sitting in his office. What scared them the most though was that he didn't have a scratch on him while the room looked like hell. "I am now the Mizukage," Zabuza shouted out, Naruto to his right and Haku to his left. "If anyone wishes to challenge this, step forward." A fool actually did.

"I will be right back, Zabuza-san," Naruto said. "Unless you want to make a show of your own strength."

"You go," he replied.

Naruto jumped over the railing and landed in the courtyard. "I am Fujin, the right hand of the Mizukage. For any to face him, you must first beat me. And know that his own strength is far greater than mine." Actually, Naruto didn't know that for sure but it would work to keep them in line.

"All the better," the man replied. He went through several handsigns and a mist settled over the courtyard. Naruto rolled his eyes and activated his Demon Eye again. He caught the man's arm and shouted, "What you are about to hear is a man's arm be torn off and then him beaten to death with it." He was caught by so much surprise that he could do nothing to stop it. When he stopped breathing, Naruto threw the limb to the ground. "Anyone else?" This time, no one stepped forward. "That is what I thought." He turned back and jumped up to the ledge.

"Angry much," Haku whispered.

"You had a life similar to mine and you are not," Naruto countered. "Zabuza, think have better get better for this country."

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise," Naruto replied. "Civil war tears this country apart. They need a leader that will improve it. I will make sure they have it, one way or another." He turned and walked back inside. Hinata was there, waiting for him. He was grateful that she hadn't watched. "Let's go find us a home," he told her.

"Okay, Naruto-kun," she said quietly. "I heard what you said, did you..."

Naruto wish he could lie to her on this. "I did. Hinata, I needed them to see that they shouldn't fight. In time, I will make sure it gets better but right now, we have no choice but to rule through fear."

"Why fear, I don't understand."

"Because Water has seen nothing but war for so long, they might not know how to accept change peacefully. Please forgive me for what I am going to have to do."

"...I do, Naruto-kun... The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few."

"And add this to that. Kekkei genkai are not liked here. Those with them are usually killed. I want them to know not to mess with me and mine." Hinata didn't know how to take that but decided that if she was to be Naruto's even like that, she would be okay with it.

"Yes, Naruto-kun." As he walked out, she fell in step behind him.

—oo000oo—

News that the Yondaime Mizukage was killed spread fast. With them, news of a reform. Peace was brought to water, peacefully or forcefully for those that would not accept it. But that ended quickly once things began to improve. Water soon became the ideal place to live. While there were still high imports coming in, there were an even greater amount of exports heading to other countries. Farmland soil was aerated like never before. Production of goods increased with new supplies being brought in. No one could figure it out. A fortune had to of been used to back such change but almost no one had that kind of money. And with word of this, came also word of a boy that was only known as Fujin, the right hand of the Godaime Mizukage. All that was known about him was his eyes were blue and red.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said to him a month and a half after Naruto left, "we have received a message that Kiri is sending a team as well."

"I guess I should be surprise," Sarutobi stated. Konoha was going through its own period of greatness right then. Without the council to keep him from doing what must be done, he was able to get it done fast and with little hassle. "...I should have disbanded them years ago."

"It has been better," Kakashi replied. "Have you decided on whether or not you will kill those that remain yet?"

"Most of it was done by Danzou and my teammates so doing that would be wrong. But I can't let them off the hook either. More over, some have been weakened by recent events. If I kill Hiashi, his last remaining daughter will be at the mercy of the clan council. I don't their methods but they did instate that blasted seal."

"And the others?"

"Inoichi, Chouza, Shikaku, and a few others were against it until they saw that Naruto would survive whatever they threw at them. I knew this at the time. They will be let off."

"Yeah, have to admit, Naruto did do a lot of good for the village, even if that wasn't their intentions."

"Haruno is just as guilty as Danzou but her clan is in the same position as the Hyuuga. Kill her and a worst ruler will appear."

"Speaking of which, what was it decided on about Sakura's punishment?"

"That if she decides to take being a ninja seriously now, she will be allowed to stay as one. She will be returned to you in a few weeks. How are Sai and his brother Shin doing?"

"They are fine and getting better. They actually look forward to the chunin exams. I guess they will miss it though without a third member. And Sasuke, did he actually do that?"

"You heard right. During interrogation, he activated his Sharigan and tried to use it to cast a genjutsu. He didn't realize that it takes more than the first level to do that. Anko had some fun with him for that. Tried to use it as leverage next. Inoichi did a dive into his mind and found it was shattered. He might be able to rebuild it but the damage has been there along time."

"Itachi. I will follow your command on this, Hokage-sama. If Sakura is returned in two weeks, I can, officially, enter team seven. Those two boys deserve the chance to be chunin even if she doesn't."

"...Take them in. But warn Sai and Shin. If it looks like they will be hurt because of her, they are to withdraw."

"I will, sir." He looked out the window. "It isn't right, that this city will get better because its savior is taken away. Have you gotten any luck in finding him?"

"No, he has just disappeared about. I pray that it is to a better life."

—oo000oo—

Naruto trailed kisses from Hinata's lips to her neck, every now and then giving her a love bite. She moaned his name as his hands rubbed her body. One of his hands just slipped under her shirt when it happened. There was a knock on the door. Naruto groaned while Hinata continued to kiss him. "Leave it," she told him.

"It...might...be...important."

"Not important enough," she replied. Her hands went under his shirt and began to trace muscles there. After a moment, the knocking went away. And came back more insistent.

"I'll kill him," Naruto growled. He, reluctantly, forced Hinata from atop of him and went to the door. He opened it, scowling at the messenger. "Is the city under attack?"

"No," he replied.

"Nami on her period and on a rampage?"

"No."

"A mission so critical, it needed to be done hours ago?"

"No," he replied, confused.

"Then why are you risking you like right now?"

He swallowed and said, "The Mizukage has ordered that his Hands are to go take the chunin examine. You are to pack and leave immediately. Please don't kill me." The man obviously knew what he interrupted.

Naruto wanted to stay mad, he did, but Hinata had walked behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Inform the Mizukage we will leave be ready to leave in a half hour to forty five minutes."

The chunin let out a sigh of relief. "I will, sir."

Naruto closed the door and created several kage bunshin. "You, prepare my armor. You, Hinata's. You four get my equipment ready. The other four, Hinata's."

"And what will we be doing," Hinata asked.

Naruto swept her up and carried her back into the bedroom. "I wasn't done, my hime."

—oo000oo—

At exactly forty five minutes later, Naruto and Hinata were at the gate. Both now wore a Kiri headband with their Konoha headband, with a slash through the symbol, around their waist. The armor was exactly the same except Hinata's was made to fir her chest as well. Hinata's was colored pale blue on the armor plates. While Naruto's were now red on one half and blue on the other. Haku wore a set just like his, only white. These were the uniforms of those that perform directly at the Mizukage's bidding. They were his hands, his apprentice, his child and friends, most of all, his weapons.

"Who is our acting sensei," Naruto asked.

"Jonin Do'Urden Drizzt," Haku informed them. "Skills include being a fifth level sword master, fifth level spear master, fifth level...well, you get the point. He is a weapons master, the best."

"I was not expecting Do'Urden-sama," Hinata told them.

"Neither was I expecting to be giving as the temporary sensei to you three," a man said as he walked up. At his side was a six hundred pound black panther, his most notable feature. At his waist were two scimitars. He wore chain mail armor. And his hair bordered on white while his tan was almost black. "The chunin exam is taking place in Konoha, are you sure you two want to wear those?"

"I am," Naruto replied.

"As am I," Hinata told him. "I am Fujin's, I will do as he wants." Haku scoffed, he knew who was really in control in their relationship. All Hinata had to do was cry and Naruto would fight the world to make her feel better. Hell, he stormed ANBU HQ because one of them insulted her. Some were still scared of him. Which was probably a good thing, he realized.

"Is everyone ready to go," Naruto asked. When Haku and Drizzt nodded, him and Hinata headed for the docks. It would take a few days to get to Wave and a few hours from there to get to Konoha. Unlike other nations, they couldn't hurry it so why bother. The boat would leave in an hour, walking, they would get there in half.

It was a quiet voyage and there was no incident when they got there. Although, Naruto was surprised that the bridge was named the 'Great Kitsune's Bridge'. They even put two shishi going on and off the bridge. But instead of the dog-lion, the statues were two foxes with many tails. "Dedicated to the unknown ninja recognized only as Kitsune," Hinata read. "A man that lost his innocence far too soon in life but lived with no regret. Despite all that ever faced him, he refused to die and brought freedom to our home." She smiled at Naruto. "I always knew you were great, Fujin-sama."

"I'm not so great."

"Ahem, the _Great_ Kitsune Bridge," she quoted.

"I'm sure they refer to the bridge itself."

"Stop being modest," Drizzt ordered. "Everyone in Water knows that you are the strongest next to the Mizukage. Maybe even stronger than him."

"...Why are we even taking this," Naruto asked Haku.

"To show that Kiri has strength again. You have to admit, Fujin, seeing you cut a person in half with a wave of your hand is quite an intimidation tactic. Plus, we are going as our title. I'm the Mizukage's Shield, you are his Blade, and Vixen is his Handmaiden." They had decided that while at Konoha, it wasn't safe enough to use their real names.

"I guess..."

"Why do you keep putting yourself down," Drizzt asked. This was his first time working with the boy and he was curious about him.

"He downplays himself to avoid attention," Haku told him. "He left Konoha because he had too much of the wrong kind and none of the right."

"They were trying to kill me," Naruto elaborated. "But they couldn't do it." He released the seal over his right shoulder and grabbed the spear as it dropped. "To retrieve this was their last mission. The Lightning Spear of Raijin, if the legend is correct."

"Do you know how to wield it," Drizzt asked.

"You are not the only weapons master around," Naruto replied. He spun the spear around in this hand and brought the butt end down on a puddle. Several drops were kicked up and Naruto spun, cutting one in half. He kept it balanced there just on the tip before spinning, throwing the water droplet up into the air and cutting it in half again. He resealed it. "When it hits, it delivers a high amount of electricity into the person it hits. There might be a few there that I want to hit with it."

—oo000oo—

They reached the gates and the guards tensed. "Names and passports."

"Do'Urden Drizzt, Jonin sensei."

"Fujin, genin, Mizukage's Blade."

"Haku, genin, Mizukage's Shield."

"Vixen, genin, Mizukage's Handmaiden."

The one writing dropped his pen. "...You mean you three are...his personal bodyguards?"

"We are," Fujin told them.

They opened the passports and frowned, they were masked in them as well. "We need to see your faces."

"No," all three replied.

"We cannot let you in then," the other guard said.

"You would deny us entrance," Drizzt asked.

"We have orders to sent a person wearing sectional armor like they are to the Hokage."

"Our title holds us above that," Vixen told them.

"But..." He looked down and scowled. "Reveal your face now."

"Why so angry," Haku asked. He looked down at their scratched headbands. "Just because they are missing ninja?"

"We were abandoned by our sensei over a year ago," Fujin lied. "As Konoha will have nothing to do with us, we left for a village that would. Article nineteen eighty six states that no ninja, even missing ninja from the hosting village, shall be denied entry of the chunin exam if they are participating, are the sensei of a team, or connected to a participating team. Article nine ninety three also states that visiting dignitaries of certain rank or title, such as that of ANBU, do not have to reveal their identities. We reveal who we are, there is an army out to kill us."

"Not our problem," they stated.

"It is your problem," Drizzt told them. "Deny us entrance and this could start a war between Kiri and Konoha."

"I will send a message we are being denied in," Fujin told Drizzt as he bit his thumb and prepared for a summons.

"Wait...you will have to meet the Hokage but you will be let in," the guard on the right said.

"Good enough," Naruto said, wiping his hand clean. He didn't have a summons but they didn't need to know that. They were lead through the village and to the tower. Once there, the Hokage saw them. "Hokage-sama, we were told to be let in, we would have to speak with you."

He read the report the guards quickly drafted up. "Understandably so. I will get right to the point. I honestly don't care who you are, I care who you are not. I don't need to know who the girl is. Likely, the same as you, Haku. But you, I might. I am looking for a ninja that was betrayed by the council and I..."

"I don't want to come back," Naruto told him. "Do you know what happened while I was away? During that first week even? I have another nightmare." This, for a normal person meant little. For Naruto, it meant him waking up screaming in terror and pain. "But instead of facing it alone, I had someone there for me this time. I am happy where I am."

"Naruto..."

"Isn't here. I am Fujin, the Mizukage's Blade. And I am here because I was ordered to be here."

"Naruto, I am sorry..."

Fujin sighed and pulled off his mask. "Once again, I am telling you I am not mad at you. You tried your best, old man. And I am grateful for that. Although," he looked out the window. "Konoha looks like it is doing better. Pisses me off."

"You would wish hard times on Konoha?"

"Well, maybe just the feelings they gave me. If it takes hard times, then yes."

Sarutobi nodded, he could understand that. "So, the Blade of the Mizukage. I have heard horror stories being told to frighten bad children about you."

"...I am not sure if they would be exaggerated."

"You turning into a demon and slaughtering a whole village?"

"Okay, they are exaggerated. But no doubt, some of what I have had to do has actually made it to there."

"...Beating a man to death with his own arm for challenging you?"

"He challenged the Mizukage," Fujin replied. "I was just the chosen tool of his punishment. You have heard, right? About how Water was to how it is?"

"Yes, a remarkable change."

"That is why I did it. If fighting continued, progress wouldn't come. It was wrong but it was also the only answer."

"The lesser of evils," Drizzt stated. "I am Do'Urden Drizzt, Hokage-sama. I am their registered jonin sensei, even if they have been trained by others. Do we have permission to enter the village of Konoha?"

"Yes, of course. Naruto, will you be so kind as to remove your old headband and the headband around the waist of the young lady?"

"But we are..."

"No, missing ninja betray their village, not their village betrays them. I have a thought who she is but for all concerned parties, the girl I'm thinking of is dead." Fujin nodded and looked at Vixen. She removed hers and Fujin his. "Do remember to stay out of trouble."

They nodded and left. "There is a hotel on the east side of Konoha that has good rooms for a reasonable price."

"...I am going to scout the competition," Haku stated. "I will find you later."

—oo000oo—

Haku had just turned a corner and smiled when he saw another Kiri ninja team. "Hey..." A fist just hit his face.

"YOU! I hate you! Because of you, Sasuke-kun is in prison, so was I, and my mother is facing charges from the Hokage as well!" Haku turned his head back in the direction of the screaming kunoichi. She had pink hair, a flat ass, and almost no breast... He was going to get back at Fujin for making him a pervert.

"That punch had no power in it," he stated. The Kiri team were all shocked, no one attacked a person wearing that uniform and got away with it. Few even lived. "How did I do you wrong?"

"Don't give me that shit, Naruto! You know exactly what you did!" She went to punch him again but Haku caught her hand and began squeeze it. He began to move his fingers, making the bones in her hand grind together painfully. "AGH! Stop! Someone get this thing off me!"

Haku did let go when he saw a few chunin nearby turn to them. The Kiri team were on their feet and moving over. "Are you stupid, girl," the jonin demanded. "If he was Fujin the Blade, you would have been killed!" He took her hand and examined it. "Stop whining, you aren't hurt."

"What are you talking about," Sakura asked. "Who is Fujin the Blade?"

"This is Haku the Shield, the Mizukage's left hand," one of the genin told her. "There is also Vixen the Handmaiden and Fujin the Blade, the Mizukage's right hand. They are the most dangerous team in all of Kiri."

"This is Naruto," Sakura screamed.

Haku sighed and pulled off his mask. "Do you know me? I neither know you nor have I been to Konoha before." Sakura was not only shocked that she was wrong, she was blushing. "I suggest you do not do something like this again because of our armor. Like the genin said, Fujin would have likely killed you."

He began to walk away. "W-Wait! What are you even doing in Konoha? You are all Mist ninja, right?"

"The Chunin Exams will be starting in a few days," Haku told her. "The best from every village will gather here to test their might to get the rank."

"Is that why you are here, sir," one of the other Kiri genin asked.

"Yes, title aside, my team and I are still genin officially. And before you even think of it, do not withdraw." He put his mask back in place and continued walking.

—oo000oo—

"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama!" A chunin burst into the room. "I have news about one of the teams entering in the Chunin Exam!"

"What?"

"One of the Kiri teams is made up of the Mizukage's Blade, Shield, and Handmaiden! All three of them are here, now!"

"I know," Sarutobi replied.

"Sir, if a normal genin team goes up against them, they will be killed!"

"I know, which is why I was about to inform the jonin senseis in the meeting you are currently holding back." The chunin looked behind him and saw several jonin looking at him questionably.

"Yes, right, my apologies, Hokage-sama. I over reacted."

"Now, I would have been that surprised myself had they not come to me and told me." When the chunin left, Sarutobi turned back to them. "As you know, the Chunin Exams will be taking place in a weeks time. Normally, I would now ask the rookie genin team leaders which want their team to join. But I am going to do something I probably shouldn't. I am going to tell you about a team that came in today from Kiri. They are the three hands of the Mizukage, his Blade, Shield, and Handmaiden."

A jonin in back said, "Sir, are you telling us the reported three most dangerous ninja from Kiri are only genin and are taking this exam?"

"Yes. Strength is not limited by rank. I have met the three of them and not only are they powerful, they know it. Two of them will be more inclined to leave survivors. The Blade, I can tell, is not. He is the weapon he is known for. Reports from Team Asuma, when they accidentally came across him as he was fighting a battle, says his strength. Asuma, is this the boy you saw?" He handed him a copy of his passport picture.

"...Yeah, that is him, pops. Same eyes, same armor, same look in his eyes. My team is not taking the exam."

Kurenai looked at the picture, "Is he that dangerous?"

"I saw him kill a man with just a wave of his hand. His control of wind isn't paralleled."

Kurenai thought about it. "My team isn't ready anyway, I wasn't going to allow them to take it as they are still trying to get teamwork with this new girl down."

Kakashi took it. He saw the similarities with the armor that Naruto wore right away. But he could tell it wasn't the same armor. But his one blue eye kept him from saying it wasn't the same person. "...Sai and Shin are ready. And Sakura has gotten better as well. I will tell them this and let them decide to take it. Otherwise, I sponsor them to take it." Most others did not share his confidence. Out of fifty teams, less than twenty that day would go on to actually take the exam.

—oo000oo—

Author's Notes: I was once told that if I ever made a Dark Naruto fix, that person would open up the faith of Foxcomm. Now, I don't know how well that might go over with the rest of the world but here you go.


	2. Chapter 2

."Why are you even here," a Konoha jonin sensei demanded of him. "You are more than strong enough to be a chunin, why even participate!?"

Fujin laughed at the man openly. "I am here because, just like you are for a mission, I was ordered to. I would have been perfectly fine staying there or going to battle. But the Mizukage ordered me here. And when he explained why, I found I liked it. I am here to crush the enemy. And not just any enemy, their morale and, more importantly, their future." He raised a hand and snapped his fist shut, as if crushing something. "Haku, Vixen, and I will no doubt become a chunin from this. But our real mission is to cause as much damage as possible, showing the world the new player on the center stage. Kiri is strong again. The Seven Swordsmen are being reformed. And with the Mizukage leading us, welcoming those with Kekkei Genkai, soon, oh so soon, Konoha will be trying to keep up with our strength. For too long, it has been Konoha that has had all the power! Now, here on this wretched patch of earth, the balance of power will shift and Kiri will take its rightful place! If I were you, I would keep my team from taking it so they don't become a casualty."

"You can't do that," he stated. "You can't come here just to eliminate genin teams using the exams as cover!"

Again, Fujin laughed, insulting his intelligence. "Villages have been doing it for years! Even Konoha! Kiri is just willing to admit it. Seeing this village, I see it is stagnant. But nothing a good battle wouldn't clear up. But you know, I had almost turned down this mission. Because of a ninja here I fought once and lost to."

A look of relief covered the faces of everyone watching the exchange. Except for a certain snake mistress. "And who is that?"

Fujin looked at Anko, not even trying to keep the mirth from his eyes. "A single ANBU by the code name, Kitsune. So, imagine my surprise when I found out he was not only not here, he left the village completely!" He enjoyed the shocked and scared looks he got. "Once this is done, I am to personally take the mission to retrieve him and get him to join the Hidden Mist village. We would love to have the famed Immortal Jinchuuriki of the Leaf." Fujin added the finale touch, the dark sinister laugh the villain always gives. "The strongest ninja of the Hidden Leaf, the only one that could stop me, gone, vanished into the winds he controls. And now, Iwa, Kumo, Kiri, _and_ Suna are looking to see what makes a dynasty fall." In a flash, Fujin unsealed his spear and slashed a tree with it. A moment later, it fell, a symbol of what Fujin had been telling them. "Oh, it feels good to play with the Dark Side for once."

He jumped off to the rooftops and was joined by Anko a few moments later. "Was that necessary?"

"No, but it was fun."

"You know people are shitting their pants down there."

"I could smell it," Fujin replied. "How have you been Anko-chan?"

"Good, gaki. Why though?"

"I want them to regret," Fujin replied. "My power, my strength, all that I am, all that made two countries recover from the brink, _was_ theirs. All I wanted was to be left alone in the end. Hell, I settled for no getting anyone else killed while they tried to do it to me. And they couldn't even do that. ROOT, four of them. I even knew one as an ANBU. Four ninja, good ones at that, dead. And Konoha is going to need them very soon."

"Why," she asked, concerned.

"Like I said down there," he motioned with his spear, "Kiri is going to become the one that everyone comes to. I will see to it." He rotated his neck, popping the bones there a few times. "Hey, Wolf, how you been?"

The wolf masked ANBU appeared. "Good runt. Never did get to thank you for that scroll."

"You earned it for the hell he put you through. Mount his head on your wall?"

"No, that would be a bit too much for normal people. I called in a favor from a ninja in Suna and he used one of their forbidden jutsus on it. The one where they turn a person into a puppet. I put it in my trophy room and said it was from a dual with a Sand Puppeteer that I won."

Fujin laughed, "No one would question that. Though they might at how much it looks like Aoi."

Ibiki grinned under his mask. "I only show it to our friends and they all laugh it off."

"Gee, can't imagine why," Fujin replied before laughing. "When the world isn't watching me to see who I will kill next, we should get together sometime, have a few drinks, make a few laughs. Maybe a bar fight sometime tonight or tomorrow. Maybe when the exam is done."

"That sounds fun," Anko replied. "Can't wait. You know, we are your proctors in the exam. I think the Hokage was going to have you handle the third exam."

"Nah," Fujin replied. "The first of the gaki to disrespect me would have died."

"No doubt," both agreed. Anko walked over to him, pulled the plate over his mouth off for a moment, and gave him a kiss before replacing it. "Take care gaki, see you soon." She turned and jumped off.

When Fujin looked over at Ibiki, he said, "Don't know why you are looking at me. I'm not giving you a kiss."

Naruto grinned before saying, "Tell the guys I said 'You all suck big, hairy donkey dick'."

"Tell them, 'What's up', got it. You know, no one ever said you had to be sane to be ANBU, is that why we are like this?"

"Probably," Naruto replied before jumping off.

—oo000oo—

Fujin looked at the real 301 door and rubbed his chin through his mask. "What are you thinking about," Vixen asked him.

"Well, they put a genjutsu on the door downstairs. Maybe we should put one on the door here?"

Haku thought about it. "How strong?"

"I think mid B," Fujin replied. "Strong enough to keep the weaklings away, not high enough to completely hide its presence and be too difficult to remove."

"...Natural selection at its finest," Vixen said as a team walked by into the room. She made several hand signs and the room numbers reversed order.

"You are amazing," Fujin said, running a hand along her faceplate, over her lips. They went inside and saw a few teams there already. Naruto looked at them. A few sand, a grass team, a couple of leaf... He was surprised to see Sai and Sakura with some blue haired boy. Shaking his head, he looked and saw three from Kiri for a total of ten teams. When they heard that the Mizukage's Hands were taking it as well, all three teams about snapped to attention. They refused to look bad in front of them. Who would as to show your ass to them meant you showed it to the Mizukage.

"I have information on every team," a silver haired genin bragged to Sai. "Just give me anything and I can tell you."

"Gaara of the Sand and Rock Lee," Shin replied.

"Too easy. Rock Lee is a genin a year ahead of you three. His stats aren't impressive until you get to his taijutsu. I know of jonin that are weaker in that field. As for Gaara, he's mostly unknown except that he has never been hurt."

Fujin nodded to them and headed over.

"What about the Shield," Sakura asked

"You mean Haku the Shield," Kabuto asked. "Ah, getting to the big players." He popped his fingers and pulled a card out. He placed it on the floor, charged it with chakra to reveal its contents and went to pick it up.

"Allow me," Fujin said, his foot landing on the card and pulling it over to him. He picked it up and said, "Hey, Haku, he got your good side for this." Fujin showed it to him. Kabuto didn't know what to say so he didn't reply. "Ahem," Naruto said, clearing his throat. "Last name unknown. Title, Mizukage's Shield. Mission numbers, unknown, believed in ANBU range. A lot of unknown you got there. That is very bad for a spy."

"I am a medic," Kabuto countered.

"Ah." Fujin continued reading. "Age, believed to be around fourteen. Off by a year, Haku is thirteen. Teammates are Fujin and Vixen, real names unknown. Appearances for all three, unknown. Rank, genin. Actual rank, elite jonin. Warning, flee on sight." Naruto chuckled. "Think that is good enough, Haku?"

"They might have a chance to get away then."

Fujin turned back to Kabuto and returned the card. "What about Vixen?" He nodded and after charging the card, gave it to him. "Unknown...unknown... Actual rank, jonin. Flee on sight. How about me?" Kabuto gave him the card with his own information on it. "This ought to be good. Ahem. Hmm, it doesn't say flee on sight." He looked up at Kabuto. "It says kiss your ass goodbye because if target sees you in combat area, you are dead. I am honored that people think of me that way. Can't imagine why though? Hmm. Known for killing Iwa ANBU team. The destruction of the bordering Kumo fort on Water territory. That was self defense. Anyway. Believed to have had a hand in the assault of the leader of the Land of Snow. Believed!? I'm insulted. Yada, yada, yada, hundreds dead, blah blah." So he added that part for kicks. "Skills, lets see how good you really are as a spy. Known kill range, thirty meters." He shook his head, disappointed. "Possible holder of kekkei genkai similar to the Byakugan. Wow, for the first time, he got something right. I'm impressed. When did I leave someone alive that saw it?"

Vixen giggled. "Stop the intimidation tactics."

"But I like making genin almost wet themselves." He turned back to Kabuto and growled. "Talk, who did I leave alive and where is he?"

"He...he...he..." Kabuto actually felt like he was choking under his gaze.

The door opened and a Sound team walked in, gaining the notice of Naruto, Hinata, and Haku. "Who was the asshole that put the genjutsu on the door," the spiky haired one shouted.

Fujin popped his knuckles and walked over. "You got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do," the Sound ninja replied.

"Well then, before we throw down, how about names? You know, just to be polite."

"I'm Zaku." He poked Naruto in the chest, "Who are you!?"

"And I am Fujin the Blade." Zaku turned very pale. "Oh, you've heard of me." He grabbed Zaku's finger between his thumb and forefinger and raised his pinky. "So you know what will happen _when_ I flex my finger?"

Visions of his death flashed though Zaku's mind. "Y, you wouldn't dare. We aren't allowed to fight yet!"

"Who will stop me," Naruto said in a low voice. "Because if I do it, you will only be a smear..."

"...Kami, I don't want to die, I don't want to die..." Zaku just looked in Fujin's cold, dead eyes and turned into a babbling idiot.

"What is he going to do to him," Sakura asked.

Haku looked at her and she could see the smirk in his eyes. "Nothing. Fujin knows what his reputation is. He can think of hundreds of ways to kill you but that right there is not one of them. That is a move from Kung Fu Panda." He said it loud enough to be heard by everyone.

Zaku stopped begging for his life and forced the finger to flex. Nothing happened. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Everyone in the room laughed at him while he went for a weapon. The next instant, Zaku was pressed against the wall, a foot in the air, held by his throat, and what looked like a drill made out of air poised over his eye, ready to kill him.

"This time I'm not bluffing," Fujin said, his fun done with. He moved his raised arm forward and to the right a little and Zaku felt the tip cut his eyebrow. Naruto reared the arm back and was about to shove it through his head.

"You, stop!" Ibiki appeared and shouted at him. "At no time during this exam my you fight another genin without permission. Even then, there will be no killing!"

"He called my mother a bitch," Naruto replied. "My father may have been a famous cliff diver and my mother a famous cliff but she was by no means a bitch." He inched it just a bit closure.

"I got it, I got it! I apologize!"

Naruto dropped him. "Good." He walked back to Haku and Hinata. "Miss me?"

"We are probably the only ones," Hinata stated. She glanced down at the crouching Kabuto. "Boo." They jumped at that. "Oh look, master Fujin, they are scared of us," she said, running a hand over his right breastplate. Both Shin and Sai dropped their jaws at that.

Shin looked down at her figure and then back up. "Fair is fair, ma'am. If I destroy a fort and kill a brigade, can I play too?" Sai covered his eyes at how much of a pig his brother was being. Before Sakura slammed a fist down on his head.

"You sexist pig! You don't even know what she looks like!"

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Shin said with a grin. "And this beholder sees a figure that is killer on a woman that is!"

Sakura hit him again. "So she is a woman and I am a scrawny brat!?

"I guess you have a fan club even here, Vixen," Naruto told her. "Want me to deal with this one before others start?"

"Please don't, Fujin-kun. I would hate to see him killed just for looking at me."

Shin, Sai, and Sakura looked at Fujin and then her. "Are you bluffing?"

"Oh no," Hinata said. "Once, a visiting chunin decided that if he made the Handmaiden his wife, his village would have a better treaty with Kiri. A law there must have been that if a woman has a man's child, she must marry him. Luckily that isn't how it is at home. Anyway, after Fujin killed him for trying to take me away, he became very protective of me. A visiting Iwa ninja did just look at me and master Fujin attacked him."

"He had been watching you for five minutes," Naruto defended himself. "You are mine, Vixen, no one else's."

"Your speaking like you own her," Sai stated.

"He does for as long as he wants me and I him," Hinata replied.

Ibiki watched it, shook his head, and shushined out of the room. There were still a few hours left.

—oo000oo—

Naruto took a watch from his armor and checked the time. "Another five minutes and we can start."

"But there is no one here, just about," a female sand, Gaara's sister Temari, stated. "Where is everyone?" Naruto shrugged, guessing that with how many threats to kill people were flying from him, they forgot about the door. Zaku was still shaking. Only twelve teams were here now. Luckily, the new comers realized just what this meant. With everyone else heading to the wrong room, there were less people to fight.

"...Vixen, that was a B rank, right?"

"Well, maybe..." She had that glint in her eyes that made Naruto question if she did in fact use one weak enough. A few minutes later, there was an explosion of smoke at the front of the room.

"Alright, listen up you bastards! I am... in the wrong room?"

"No, this is room 301," Sai stated. "Someone put a genjutsu on the door." He looked at Fujin.

"What, I'm innocent...for once."

"I call bull shit," Shin shouted.

Naruto looked at Ibiki. "Should we even bother with this portion of the exam?"

"...No, I would have gotten rid of over half the teams anyway. Stay here in this class." He turned to one of the chunin in the room. "Go inform the Jonin sensei of the teams not in this room to pick up them up." He turned back to those in the room. "Who did it?"

They all pointed to Naruto. "It wasn't me!"

"Yeah right! Why wouldn't it have been you," Sakura asked.

"Because I would have made sure no one else got in!" Naruto looked at those in here and knew that some of those that got through would be worth fighting. He moistened his lips. "But I can't complain. The Killing Intent I feel from those here is giving me shivers of excitement."

"I had heard that there was a Uchiha in the ninja corps," a grass ninja stated. "Why is he not taking the exam."

"Because of a baka that," Sakura started to shout.

"That outranked both you and him," Sai finished. "You disobeyed orders, disrespected him, and endangered the mission. Feel grateful you are not in the same jail cell."

"She would enjoy it," Shin stated. "Sakura, you can be okay but when it comes to Sasuke, you are a whiny bitch."

"I hate the both of you!"

"Who did he disobey," the grass ninja asked.

"A former ninja of Konoha, ANBU Kitsune."

At a nod, Haku started talking. "Kitsune? He gets around."

"You know him, sir," one of the Mist genin asked.

"Yes, he beat Fujin in a one on one fight." That made them pale. "Luckily, we are looking for him to join Kiri."

A grass kunoichi that had been listening could no longer keep her curiosity. "Wasn't he Kitsune the Immortal?"

"That was why I couldn't kill him," Naruto replied. "Everything I did healed as we fought. Talk about a pain in the ass."

"So how did you survive?"

"I blew us apart. Literally, a wad of explosive notes. And who, pray tell, are you?"

"Kira."

"Well, Kira of Kusa, what do you really want?"

"I had heard you had a kekkei genkai and was hoping I could find out details."

"Do it like the rest of my opponents, fight me and take your chances." Kira looked in his one blue and one red eyes and saw something she knew. The cold, calculated look of a man that was wondering just which way he would kill you, no doubts about it being any other way.

"Maybe I will, mister 'The Blade'. But not now." She turned and walked away. _'I came for the Sharigan but I wonder if I can get him as well.'_ "Too bad about the last Uchiha, being arrested. I would have very much liked to meet him."

Naruto watched her leave and wondered about her. There are many things a person can hide. Their looks, there age, alliance, so much it is surreal. But the one thing a person cannot hide in the end is how good they are. And something about her made him think she, like Haku, Hinata, and him, was better than this exam needed. It made his pulse quicken. Everyone looked at the door when a lot of shouting came from the hall. "I guess they don't like what was done."

"Makes it easier for the rest of us, master," Hinata said as leaned against the wall. She scanned the room and saw her cousin. There were times when she would have been afraid of him or of him finding out who she was. But those times were gone and she was now far more than she had been. He must have felt her gaze on him because he turned around and looked at her. "Personally, I am happy with the group that made it through. Please, if the chance arrives, may I have the Hyuuga to play with?" Mostly because Naruto would kill him, he was still family. Mostly.

"Should I be jealous, my hime?"

"Well, you always get me the best gifts when you are," Hinata said in a teasing voice. She never thought that when Naruto had that nightmare and she rushed in to help him, that _that_ would be what get him to care for her. He held her for an hour as he remembered being stabbed several times when he let his guard down once as Kitsune. For three hours, they tortured him until they forced the Kyuubi free. Hinata at first thought it was the Kyuubi that was the nightmare. But Naruto told her it wasn't. It was the torture, that even as they beat him, he would heal so they could continue. He welcomed the Kyuubi when he came.

"Alright then, if we get the chance, I will give the Hyuuga to you wrapped with a bow."

"I think he can take you," a brave voice said. They all looked at the speaker, a ninja in green spandex, a bowl cut hair cut, and these fuzzy eyebrows. "I believe with my whole that I, if given the chance, can beat you, friend. And if he can beat me, he can fight you and win."

"Hmm," Naruto looked him up and down before waving a hand at him. The wind that was kicked up _should_ have knocked him into the wall. It only pulled at his hair. "Holy shit... Gai? You are the student of Maito Gai, aren't you?"

"Yosh, I am proud that a opponent such as yourself knows my sensei! His flames of... cough, cough!"

Naruto let the air return to the spot. "Please don't go say 'flames' and 'youth' in the same sentence. I can't take it right now. Yes, I know of your sensei. It was an experience...I dare not repeat. But I respect his skills more than I fear that genjutsu he has with his sensei. How on earth he created that sunset is still beyond me." Neji and Tenten agreed with him. "But, regardless, your sensei is very 'youthful' and strong. I pray that we get the chance to spar, student of the Azure Beast. I would like to see if he has gotten to the next phase of your training yet."

"What is he talking about, Lee," Tenten asked. "You have been getting the same training as us, haven't you?"

Naruto grinned under his mask and faceplate. "Then I take it you have not sparred with them for some time. Which means to me a different person will win. The Hyuuga is still the capture of my Vixen's notice. But it is you I wish to fight now. And to think," he said, looking back at his team. "I thought this would be a waist of time."

"What has he trained you in, Lee," Neji asked.

"He has trained me to win," Lee replied. "I am surprised but then, you said you respected his skill."

"If you have it as well, I will respect you as well."

A Mist ninja looked between the two and almost cried. "We are so going to get the hell beaten out of us."

"Maybe we will get lucky and fight one of the weaker teams," he teammate replied.

"How about the Sound ninja," the third one whispered. "They are still jumpy from Master Blade."

—oo000oo—

Kiba ran after Akamaru. "Get back here! I don't care that you smell a strange cat! We are after Tora, you know that!" Akamaru went through a bush, vanished, and a few moments later, came running out of it, yipping in fear. He jumped up and into Kiba's coat. "What is it, boy?" The pup groaned at him.

—oo000oo—

_Akamaru was following the scent of Tora to the source. He knew this part very well. But then, something strange happened. A scent of a different type of cat joined the first. And it was one he never smelled before. He had to investigate it. He started running and the scents grew stronger. He ran through a bush and froze. There was Tora, asleep, on a giant black cat. Which just opened its eyes and looked at him. For a moment, no one moved then the cat yawned, revealing fangs longer than Akamaru's head was thick. He turned tail and ran._

—oo000oo—

"A cat that big doesn't exist," Kiba replied. "I'll show you."

"You shouldn't, Kiba-kun," Hyuuga Navi replied. She was from the branch house and had replaced She, unlike Lady Hinata before her, was sure of herself. So much so that at times, she didn't listen to others.

"I'm sure it is nothing," Kiba replied. He walked forward and froze on the other side of the bush. "Guys," he whispered, "help."

"What's wrong," Shino asked, only to be shushed by Kiba.

Frowning, Nami activated her Byakugan. "Great Kami that is a big ass cat."

"I think he can hear you," Kiba growled lightly.

"That," Shino said above them, "is a black panther. From the collar, it might be a pet."

"I can handle a pet, that is not a pet," Kiba replied.

"You are right," Drizzt said from where he was sleeping against a tree. "That is Guewnyvar, my partner. She does not like being called a pet."

Behind them, Kurenai walked up. "What is going on, have you found...Tora. Don't make any sudden move," she warned them when she saw the panther.

"Just take the cat," Drizzt said, bored.

"...Who are you?"

"Do'Urden Drizzt, I am tired of explaining that."

"The weapons master of Kiri," Kurenai asked.

"The same. Guewnyvar?" The panther lifted her head and looked at him. "Want to play with the genin?" All three started to sweat. Then shake when the cat nodded. Drizzt growled and Tora stretched, stood up, walked over to him, and sat down on his lap. "You were after a cat, no?"

"Not the one you want us to catch," Kiba stated. "The one in your lap."

"Can't have him."

"Why not," Kurenai asked. "You are keeping us from our mission."

"Not intentionally, I swear. It is actually that Guewnyvar is fond of this cat."

"That isn't a cat, that is a demon in disguise," Kiba growled, still mad about the last time they caught it. He still had those scratches.

"Guewnyvar, they want to take your friend away," Drizzt said, mischief dancing in his eyes. Guewnyvar looked at the closest one, Kiba and Akamaru and began to growl. "She won't hurt you, I promise. But she might lay on you if you don't run." Guewnyvar took a step and Kiba started running. She looked at the next person, Navi, and padded over to her. The Hyuuga was so still, you could think she was a statue. Guewnyvar watched her for a moment before Navi slowly reach a hand out and scratched her head. She gave a low growl of contentment before she nudged Navi with her head, tripping her, and laying on the ground, curling up around her, and laying her head on Navi's lap. "I guess she likes you," Drizzt stated.

"We need to return that cat to his owner," Shino told him.

"Well, I guess I can convince her to let her friend go. But most likely I will have to carry Tora to the tower. If your friend ever stops running."

—oo000oo—

Anko burst through the window, unfurled her banner and shouted, "Listen up, no time to... Holy shit, you really went all out, Ibiki! Twelve teams, I didn't know you had it in you still."

"What can I say, I didn't do it."

"Then where is everyone!?"

"Someone put a powerful genjutsu on the doors to switch the order around," Ibiki said, looking at the all too innocent looking Vixen. "No one else is here because they couldn't detect the genjutsu."

She looked around, saw only a few weak teams and let out a low whistle. "And to think, I am going to cut them in half at least. Well, since someone here among you decided to cheat... And there is nothing wrong with that. We are ninja after all. We shall continue this exam else where."

"Where at," Naruto asked.

"My favorite playing field: The Forest of Death." She grinned and so did Naruto, he loved that forest. It was, in his opinion, the purest part of Konoha anymore. It was exactly what is showed, a forest where everything was life and death. No politics, no one trying to back stab one another, it was as it should be. It was honest and didn't hate for no reason.

—oo000oo—

"Can't wait," Hinata stated, looking in there.

"This is simple, it will be a battle royal. No holds barred. Your objective, get one of these scrolls, a Heaven and Earth scroll. Once you obtain these, you are to head to the tower in the center. By the way, you are in here for five days, whether or not you get the scrolls."

"And who has them," Sakura asked.

"Why, each team will have either one or the other," Anko stated.

"Wait, we are going in there and one of us will be unlucky enough as to have to fight them!?" The Mist ninja pointed to Naruto, Hinata, and Haku.

"Well, yes," Anko replied. "Don't tell me you are afraid to fight them."

"Only as much as everyone else in Kiri is," he stated. "The Blade has worked harder than anyone to bring stability to our country. But to first get the recognition he needed, the respect and the fear, he beat a man to death with his own arm. We saw it. He has force changed down our throats and we are better for it. Not to mention a few things he has done in the last three months."

"Ma'am," Naruto said, catching their attention. "Can we continue? I am eager to get started."

"Really, then pass these out," she gave him several forms. "Sign them and you can continue."

Naruto took them and read the first. "Hmm. A waiver for if we die."

"That's right. If you die and don't sign it, I'm responcible and we don't want that, right?"

"Nope," Haku replied. He grinned under his mask as he looked her up and down. _'Hot damn... I'm doing it again! I swear I should kill Naruto for this!'_ He signed his and took Hinata's.

"Turn them in behind the curtain and get your scroll."

Naruto, Haku, and Hinata walked passed her, two of them slipping their hands into her coat unseen. Inside, they turned in the paper and looked at the map. "Nice detail," Hinata stated. At a slight nod from Naruto, she took the scroll. "Excuse me, boys, can you help me? I was going to put this inside my breastplate but the straps are being stubborn," she said, a little seductively.

Not thinking with the right head, they said they would. "Holy shit," one muttered when they got it off. "She wasn't wearing anything under that sneaking suit."

"Nice figure for a teenager." They took their seats and the Hands left, the map tucked inside Haku's armor with none the wiser.

—oo000oo—

Naruto was using his Demon Eye to watch for other teams along with Hinata. "Okay, so what is all in our possessions?"

"A detailed map of the forest, two Earth scrolls, and one Heaven along with our gear," Hinata told him. "What are your orders?"

"We can either add to them or head to the tower," Haku stated.

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "We will find one of the Kiri genin teams and give it to them if they have Heaven. Besides, I did promise I would give you the Hyuuga with a bow wrapped around him," Naruto said, his hand going over her faceplate. While wearing their armor, they could not show anymore affection than that. They started running after that.

—oo000oo—

Blood rained down around Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. Temari picked up the dropped scroll and they were about to leave but were stopped by clapping. "Bravo, bravo," Naruto said as he clapped from a branch above them. "I must admit, that was beautiful as it was brutal. You have a real gift for slaughter."

"You are that ninja from Kiri, the one that wouldn't shut up," Gaara stated. "Mother would very much like your blood."

"I imagine your 'mother' would," Haku stated from a different branch.

"But the only one allowed his blood is me," Hinata told them. "Fujin, is he one as well?"

"Yes, I can smell it mixed in with the blood. He is a jinchuuriki."

"What do you want," Temari asked.

"Nothing, we were passing through," Haku replied. As one, all three of them started tree jumping again. "So, we will be facing a jinchuuriki later."

"Looks like. Should be fun," Hinata said. "Naruto, will there be any teams we hold back on?"

"Well..." in mid jump, he made a wind blast, stopping them and landing them on another tree. Daitoppa hit where they would have been moments later. "If there are, it won't be our attacker right now. Come on out so we can play."

"Ku ku ku," a familiar voice said. "Well, isn't that interesting. How did you know that attack was coming?"

"I am a wind element, I could sense it, Kira of Kusa, if that is your name."

She dropped down onto a branch across from them. "Ku ku, so you knew. What gave it away?"

"We can just tell you are too good," Hinata told her. "So, who would like first dips at her?"

"...I will," Haku told them. He stepped to the end of the branch. "This forest is humid, no?"

"What does that have to do with anything," Kira asked.

"Just that for it to be humid, there must be water somewhere." He looked down, first to the left and to the right. "Ah, there it is. Perfect. Well, lets get started. Out of curiosity, what scroll do you have?"

"Heaven, want it?"

"Might as well, we already have three." Haku lept to several branches away and started throwing shenbons. They all watched in disbelief as Kira twisted at an impossible angle to escape injury.

"You will have to do better than that," Kira taunted. Both Naruto and Hinata would have been hard pressed to dodge those attacks.

"Then I will. Demonic Ice Mirrors!" A sphere made of ice formed in the air around Kira. Haku jumped into one and began his assualt.

"Vixen, activate your eyes," Naruto ordered. He didn't like this. He activated his Demon Eye and cursed. The chakra in the mirrors and Haku jumping around so fast, leaving phantoms in his heat vision, made it so he couldn't see inside.

"Haku is barely hitting him," Hinata said in disbelief.

"Shit," Naruto said before jumping down there. "Haku, fall back, this person is a jonin in disguise!"

"Ruin my surprise," the imposter muttered. "Summoning no Jutsu!" A giant snake appeared in a blast of smoke and shattered the mirrors, throwing Haku and Naruto into different trees.

"That...was unexpected," Haku said with a groan.

"So, you control ice and you have that eye kekkei genkai. What about you, girl? What makes you so special?"

Hinata jumped down and blocked 'Kira' from Naruto. "Get out of the way," Naruto said as he got to his feet. "Get out of the way, Hinata!"

"Hinata," Kira questioned. "...That was the name of the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi. And your eyes..." She smiled. "You are Hyuuga Hinata, aren't you? That would make you...I don't know. Can't recall anyone with a red eye besides the Yuuhi... Doesn't matter. I think I will mark all of you. Bind them," she ordered the snake. It dove at Haku who sighed in relief. He knew he could handle a summon. As it lunged, he jumped into its mouth and was swallowed. "I said bind them, no eat them!"

"Don't worry, Haku will be fine," Naruto said, finally back on his feet. His ankle had been broken. As he started a few handsigns, the snake started heaving about. "Wind Clone no Jutsu!" Several Naruto clones appeared and started jumping forward. "Vixen, fire!"

"H-Hai!" She raised her hand to her mouth and shot a fire ball from it at one of the clones. Naruto grabbed her and jumped down and behind the tree. The clone was hit as it converged with the others on Kira. The fire fed on the wind and the lot of them exploded, destroying a few trees as well. The snake slammed into a tree and and fell away, a red sphere with dozens of bladed edges sticking out out it embedded into the tree. It was frozen blood.

"...Did it work, Vixen," Naruto asked her.

"No," Kira's voice said above them. "But damn, it almost did." They looked up and saw him crouching on a branch, his face badly burned. It was peeling off around the eye... Naruto was able to make a face out under it around the eye. And it was one he recognized. The most unique eye he had ever seen, the one they made you memorize along with the face when you join ANBU. Orochimaru.

"What are you here for, Orochimaru? Trying to destroy the Leaf?"

"Eventually. What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing." Hinata looked at him in shock while Orochimaru looked at him intrigued. "Don't give me that, Vixen. What they did to me, what they did to you, I won't stop any enemy of their's."

"But my family is here. They may hate me but I still care for them."

"We will do nothing."

"I will not!"

"Then I shall do something," Orochimaru said, stretching his neck out.

"NO!" He jumped in the way and slammed his forearm into his opened mouth. Followed but a throw from his spear. It hit his right shoulder and there was a blast of lightning. Orochimaru roared in pain while his arm fell to the forest floor and the spear back into Naruto's hand. "She is mine," Naruto snarled at him. His right arm, the one he hit Orochimaru with, was hurting real bad so he glanced at it. Two puncture marks were in the armor while the flesh at the elbow and upper arm began to show the veins in it. "Poison."

"Grrr. That shouldn't be happening. I gave you my Curse Mark. Nothing can fight it like you are." Naruto knew he barely was and it was hurting him to. He could taste blood in his mouth. He began doing handsigns that Hinata recognized and she closed her mouth and held her breath. Naruto took a deep breath and let it out as a noxious, sickly green fog. It spread out quickly and the plants it touched began to wilt and die. Orochimaru made the mistake of breathing it in and his one arm covered his mouth as he began to throw up a lot of blood. "I will get you for this, boy!" He turned and fled.

Naruto stopped the jutsu and watched for him a few moments more. "I think...we should head to the...tower..." He looked down and saw his arm now had what looked like fox tails on it. "And I am going to need help." He stopped channeling chakra and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

—oo000oo—

Naruto woke up in a battlefield. The trace of blood and decay was being carried on the heavy winds. In the center, in pillars made of blades, stood the prison of the Kyuubi. _**"You been doing some interesting shit, Fujin."**_

"What happened? Why isn't my healing working?"

"_**It is, just this is hurting you faster than you can heal."**_

"...Didn't think anything can do that. What needs done then and what will happen otherwise?"

"_**It will kill you, otherwise. As for what can be done to keep us alive, I just need the usual permission."**_

"You have our oath. You do _whatever_ you need to do to keep us alive. I will keep our bond open so you can watch the world around us and will continue to do what I can to keep us from dying."

"_**That's just what I wanted to hear. Among the dead, there is part of the soul of the one that did this to you. Feed him to me and I will gain control of the curse mark."**_

"And thus, I will gain control of it." Naruto turned around and sat down in the lotus position. The wind here represented his bond with it and also the energies of his body. As he meditated, his awareness around him grew. He could 'see' just how far the cage stretched in all directions now, instead of it just going on without end. He could 'feel' the few scattered, broken trees as the leaves and branches were pulled. And he could 'hear' the shuffling of feet as a person walked around. "Gotcha." He jumped to his feet and started running. He had made his first meeting with the Kyuubi when he was still in training. And they came to this agreement. Naruto fought now because he had nothing left to loose, that made him very dangerous. Kyuubi was in a similar state. A;; they had was each other, like it or not. So Kyuubi agreed that as long as Naruto decided to come back alive from those missions, he would heal him. Wasn't always easy but it made Naruto his little pet project, his experiment. Just what could he do to improve the gaki? He found quickly that healing the worst damage, like the shattered bones of his hands or his missing eye, was best healed by replacing it with demon counterparts. At the rate the boy fought, he might just end up a humanoid demon one day.

Naruto spotted the shadow of Orochimaru and tackled him. "Welcome to my fucked up mind. And know you are going to soon join the dead." The shadow, not having the full intelligence of the original, only grew agitated, then fearful as Naruto bound him and took him over to the Kyuubi. He tried to stand his ground but this was Naruto's mind, not his so he was powerless to stop it. Naruto picked the snake up and threw him threw the blades, into the cage. And watched as it was torn apart.

—oo000oo—

Naruto opened his eyes to see someone he didn't know reaching for his mask. He sprung, his Demon Eye activating, grabbing the person's arm, dislocating it, lifting a leg over the arm, slamming it down on theirchest, throwing them to the floor, and wrapping the leg around their neck. "He's reacting to the seal," he heard someone shout. "Get him off her!"

Several other grabbed Naruto and began to pull him off. Naruto released his feet from the person he was choking, pressed them to the floor, and channeled chakra to the floor. He twisted his body, reached an arm between someones legs, grab someone else's, and straightened, throwing both of them to the floor. _'Hasty analysis. Seven enemies. One incapacitated, six disorganized. Eliminate.'_

Naruto slapped his his free hand to the floor and used it as a pivot point. He twisted around again and clasped his feet around the neck of a person. He was about to snap it when he heard a voice above the others shouting. "Fujin, they aren't trying to hurt you," came from Hinata. Naruto froze, one hand on the floor, his feet and other hand on the throats of his restrainers.

He looked around and remembered where he was again. "What happened after I passed out?"

"We took you to the tower," Haku said while he was checking the person that first touched him. "You okay?"

"I feel fine. You should've known better than to have anyone touch me in my sleep."

"We needed to know if you were okay."

"...Vixen?"

"Here," she said. He looked over at her and found her armor was warm from where a person had restrained her. He looked and saw similar on Haku.

"They tried to hold you back so they could find out my identity?" He subconsciously squeezed the two throats.

"I wasn't like that," one of them wheezed.

"Silence. Vixen?"

She was silent for a moment, making sure she chose her words carefully. "When you attacked that woman, two of them grabbed us and pulled us out of the way."

Naruto watched her for a moment longer. "Slowly, begin to let go and I will do the same." When finally, he was free again. He backed up to a wall and pulled his glove off. His normal vision showed him a seal of several spiraling fox tails. His demon eye showed him something red from the Kyuubi's chakra. "I am fine, I only attacked you because you woke me up wrong."

"That was reflex," one asked in disbelief.

"Imagine falling unconscious just after being attacked, and then wake up to people grabbing you and shouting. You saying you wouldn't do the same? Now, who are you?"

"Most of us are medics," a woman said to him. From the way she was rubbing her neck, she was the one that reached for his mask. "Kakashi was going to put a seal on you to close off the other seal."

Naruto looked around and saw the silver hair jonin. "And you were going for my mask, why?"

"I needed to so I could..."

"Bull shit. It is on my arm. Why were you going for my mask."

"...Because I think I know who you are," Kakashi answered for her. "There is a ninja that lived here with blue eyes and blood hair that I owe."

"Well, as you can see, I have _one _blue eye and..." He pulled the top of his eye hole out, reached though it, and grabbed a lock of hair. It was silver. "And I am no blond." He stuffed it back in. He never went on a mission looking like he really does. Silver hair dye, wax scar in a crescent around his left eye. And a burn scar on the right cheek shaped like a red hot kunai pressed against it was this disguise. "Satisfied?"

"In truth, no. But I doubt I will get more. Now about that seal..."

"You have already proven you have ulterior motives. You are not drawing a seal on anypart of me."

"Fujin, please you might be in danger," Hinata pleaded.

"Vixen, I am fine. _We_ know about this seal." The emphasis on the we made Haku nod.

"He will be fine then. I apologize for bothering you," he told them.

"But..." one of the medics said.

"Leave. Now." Naruto left no room for argument in it. When they left, he looked at the room itself. Only one entrance, no windows. There was a vent. "Seal the openings, Haku." Ice covered it and the door. "Silencing seals." Him and Hinata drew them on the walls. "Now, we can talk." SMACK!

"Why the hell won't you let the medics help," Hinata demanded.

Naruto glanced around the room one last time. "Just a moment." He walked over to the wall, ran a hand over it, and bumped something. "I did hear something. Kai." He released the genjutsu and found a spy video camera. "Hello," he said to whoever was watching on the other end before crushing it.

He pulled his hood and mask off and took a deep breath. "Sorry about that, my hime. I didn't seal it off because the fox took control of it and handed it to me." He walked over to her, pulled her's off, and looked at her face. She looked hurt, she had though she was going to loose him. "Don't be mad, my hime."

"..."she let him pull her into a hug and eventually she returned it. "I hate it when you do that."

"What?"

"Make it so I can't be mad at you." She pulled back. "But what about Orochimaru and Konoha."

"...Fine, if just for you. We will tell the Old Man. If we are here, we will help as well. Otherwise, unless we are ordered here to help, we won't, good enough?"

"It is. I just can't stand that we could have done something if we could."

"You are too kind for your own good, my hime. But I love you for it." Haku watched them kiss a few seconds before he undid the ice covering the vent and closed off a section of the room with his ice. He drew a seal on it and walked through the ice to the other side. His hand reached back over and hung something on it. "Be back at this time. Six hours from now," Hinata read.

Naruto arched an eyebrow at that. "Thanks Haku." He swepted her up in his arms, making her go 'eep'. "Eep?"

"This big brute is about to have his wicked way with me," she teased.

"Damn straight, my hime. I haven't had a make out session with you in over twenty four hours. A man's will can only last so long against something he needs almost like air. And we have five days to catch up with."

—oo000oo—

Naruto stood in line with his team as the Hokage gave his speech. He hadn't been surprised when Naruto told him that him Orochimaru was in the forest. Nor what he planned. A screech appeared and names started shuffling through it. "Hyuuga Neji versus Vixen. If your name wasn't called, please head up to the balcony."

Naruto grinned under his mask as did Hinata. He ran his fingers over her faceplate. "Don't hurt him too much."

"Of course not, have to have something to play with once I am done." She walked to the center of the arena across from Neji and waited.

"Surrender now, fate has decreed that you lose today."

"Nope," Hinata replied. She reached for button on the armor of her forearm and pressed it. A song started playing from the speaker on it. "Hope you don't mind, I really like this song." It was Caramelldansen. She started moving left and right to the tune. "I'm ready when you are."

Neji and a few others had dropped their jaws at that. Kakashi even wondered if she knew she was down there to fight, not dance. "Are you serious," Neji asked.

"It won't make a difference," Hinata said off hand. "I could probably read while fighting you." That did it, Neji charged at her. And as he was about to reached her, Hinata danced out of the way and kneed him in the gut. It didn't end there. She spun next, kicking him three times, leaving him on the floor. Followed by a back flip, landing with her boots on his back. "Hey, Fujin-kun! After this, can we go for pizza!?"

"Don't think there is a pizza parlor in Konoha," he replied. He was smiling so hard it hurt. This was too good in his opinion. She was driving Neji into a blind rage.

"You will be to busy recovering," Neji shouted as he twisted. Hinata was thrown off but landed on her hands and cartwheeled back to her feet.

She put a finger to her lips and said, "Oh phooey. Looks like he doesn't like me." Inner Hinata was going, _'GROSS! Don't even want to go there!'_ "Oh well. Let's continue to play." She pressed skip a few times and came across this real happy go lucky tune. "Its called 'Descendant of Shinobi'. Nice no? Ever played Final Fantasy?" She did a few hand signs and was covered in light. Naruto had gotten her to fight as a dance as a base for this. It would require her to flexible. The light dropped and Vixen the Handmaiden no longer stood there. It was a sixteen years old wearing a jean jacket, a shirt with flowers on it, hot pants, and a giant four point shuriken. This was one of the Forbidden techniques of Kiri. It was what others had based their henge on but they could only get looks. This was real.

Hinata/Yuffie started the shuriken spinning in her hands and she threw it. Neji ducked and it boomeranged back to her. Chakra gathered around her hand before she caught it. "Bye," she said to him, sounding cheery. "All Creation!" She held her shuriken out in front of her and light began to form around it. She let go and it floated there, spinning. The light grew for a moment before it shot outwards in a beam. It slammed into Neji and threw him into the wall. "Shouldn't have touched my materia." When she saw him getting up, she rubbed her chin and grinned. She threw down a smoke bomb and blocked the sight of everyone but Naruto. When it cleared, there were two Neji down there.

"What do you think you are doing," they both said. "Stop that!" Hinata smirked while Neji twitched in anger. "You think just because you could changed into me you can win?"

Hinata/Neji laughed at him. "Fate decreed I would win, not you. The moment you became my opponent, your destiny was sealed. No...it was sealed long ago. With...the visit of the ninja from Kumo."

"How do you know that!?" He entered his juken stance and Hinata mirrored him. She even activated her Byakugan the same way as him.

"I know because when I did this jutsu, I became you. All of your jutsu, all of your knowledge, while I am like this and close to you, is mine."

Neji growled and they both said, "You are in my field of divination: Sixty Four Palms!" The two hit each others hands every time.

Hinata flipped backwards and yawned. "It's boring being you. I know just the person! You know, Water is the only country that gets imports from across the ocean." Hinata changed the song to something else, more opera like. With another smoke bomb, she changed.

"...Who or what are you?"

The figure that stood there now was shaped like a human and wore black robes. He had a crown of horns on his head, his skin was black, and had red tattoos on his face. "I am Darth Maul." She pulled this rod from her robes and two beams of light came from the end of it. She spun the lightsaber around a few times, digging into the floor with it. Fictional characters were both easier and harder than real people. Because there was no personality to go with it. At the same time, to do the skills, you must have a very clear picture of what they can do. Naruto smirked, Hinata had become a Star Wars junky, she loved to do this form.

Neji looked at the melted floor where the blades touched and then back to Hinata. "Shit." Hinata lunged forward, spinning the red blade around her. He jumped out of the way and watched it carve a slice into the wall. "What did I get myself into?"

"...Can I get one of those," Hayate asked her, making her chuckle. She went on the offensive and Neji could do nothing but jump back and away.

"What kind of ability is that," Lee asked Gai.

"...I have no idea."

"It is a true Henge," Naruto told them. "Vixen is whoever she wants to be. This is why she is so dangerous."

Neji ducked too late and the Hinata went of the kill. But stopped it from killing him an instant beforehand. "I win," she stated. She stepped away and the henge dropped. "Do you give up or are you thirsty for more?"

Gekkou coughed, "No need. You are obviously the winner."

She hopped up and down a few times before going to over to Naruto. "Remember, a ribbon."

"If you insist." Naruto pulled a ribbon from his pocket and jumped down there. "Are you going to go peacefully?"

"...What are you doing," Neji asked.

"Vixen said she wanted you and I said I would get you for her with a bow on. So, just surrender to it so this will be painless to everyone."

"Not on your life!"

"Fine. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A dozen clones appeared. "Hold him down," Naruto ordered.

"NOOOO!"

—oo000oo—

Sai and Shin couldn't stop laughing. Neji had his hair tying in a bow like a three year old girl. And sense he didn't make it painless, Naruto had secured his arms behind him so he couldn't take it off. Oddly enough, no one could find it in them to try to disqualify him.

Naruto relaxed and only paid attention for his name or Haku's. But when Haku's name was called with another Mist, the other forfeit. So he waited...and waited...and waited. "Naruto," Hinata said, touching his arm. He snapped his head over to her.

"I'm awake, what is it?"

"Your turn."

"My name wasn't called."

"You are the last one."

"Oh..." He looked down and smirked. Sabaku no Gaara was there, waiting. "Oh..." He jumped down and stretched.

Above them, Kakashi walked over to the Hokage. "Are you sure we should let him continue? He was inflicted with the seal."

"Which didn't even have him down for a half hour. Plus, it is not up to me in the first place. It is his jonin sensei that decides what he does."

"And Fujin out ranks him," Kakashi muttered. "Can't we do anything?"

"Nope."

Naruto popped his knuckles as he waited for the proctor to say go. He took out his spear and got ready. "...Would it even matter for me to say the match goes to either, death, knockout, or surrender?"

"No, it wouldn't. Most likely, it will be death," Naruto told him.

"Reminder, once I call it, the match is over. Begin."

A lance of sand shot out at Naruto. At the same time, Naruto threw his spear. When it was about to hit him, a wall of sand came up. A flash of lightning followed by a thunk and everyone saw it quivering against the far wall. While Naruto jumped to the side as the tendril slammed into the tile, breaking it. He made five hand signs and his wind barrier appeared around him. It was his signature move but the only one that knew that was dead. But a smart man might figure it out. A smart man might see the connection. And that smart man might just see why he hates Konoha so much.

Another tendril came at him, hit the barrier, and turn the room into a sand storm. "WHAT IS GOING ON," Shin shouted over the wind.

"FUJIN MUST HAVE CREATED A WIND BARRIER OF SOME SORT," Sai returned. "THAT SAND HIT IT AND THIS HAPPENED!"

"...HOKAGE-SAMA," Kakashi shouted. "I THOUGHT THE ONLY PERSON THAT COULD CONTROL WIND TO THAT DEGREE WAS NARUTO!?"

"WHAT OF IT?"

"I'VE BEEN WONDERING IF THAT WAS NARUTO, SIR. BUT IF IT IS, WHY WOULD HE HATE KONOHA SO MUCH!? HE LOVED THIS VILLAGE!"

The Hokage did something right then he couldn't help. He laughed at how absurd that statement was. "NARUTO COULD HAVE BEEN FROM IWA WITH HOW MUCH HE HATED KONOHA BEFORE HE LEFT. WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST IRONIC THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED." The wind and sand died down again. Naruto had just hit Gaara so hard in the face that he hit the wall. "This man here isn't Naruto, I have seen his face. It is so twisted in anger except when he looks upon his friends. Especially the Handmaiden."

"If we ever have to fight him, she could be a weakness we can take advantage of."

"How? When she could become the same person she is fighting and use their own knowledge against them. Bet you wish you had your Sharigan activated for that one."

"I do. And since she covered it with smoke bombs afterwards, I could learn nothing. How did they know?"

"Momichi Zabuza is the Mizukage," Sarutobi told him.

"Oh shit."

Down below, Naruto had picked his spear back up. "I know you are capable of better, Gaara. You killed three men with a flick of your wrist in the forest. Stop. Holding. Back."

Gaara shook his head and scowled at him. "Yes mother, I will feed you his blood." He brought his hands together and his sand gathered around him in a sphere.

"No, Gaara, not now," Temari shouted.

"You don't think he is going to..." Kankuro asked.

Naruto made three hand signs and his wind drill appeared around his hand. He ran up and hit it against the sphere, drilling into it. "You may think you are the ultimate shield, but I am the ultimate blade. And I will break it and you!" A claw of sand wrapped around his arm pass the drill, stopping it.

"_**You wanted me to stop holding back,"**_ came a twisted voice that once sounded much different. _**"Fine."**_ The sand fell away, showing Gaara now had a claw and tails with the right side of his face becoming that of a monster. He threw Naruto into the far wall, hard enough to break it.

"Yes... This is what I wanted," they heard Naruto say. He walked back into view. "You have released your demon, now its time to release mine."

"Jinchuuriki," Kakashi shouted, realizing just what was going on. Naruto activated his Demon Eye and black tails spread from it over his face. There was an explosion of chakra while Naruto's skin turned ashen. A chakra cloak settled over him in the shape of some sort of animal with three tails. "I don't recognize that chakra... Kami, last I heard, Kiri had the Three Tails."

Naruto lunged at Gaara, who had decided to fully change. They went through a wall and were rolling around, trying to claw one another's throat out. "Evacuate the building of all non essential personel," Sarutobi ordered.

"Wow, never seen Fujin do that before," Haku stated.

"That is new," Hinata replied. "Guess this means he is even more dangerous."

"You mean, he did all those things without relying on his demon," Kakashi asked her.

"Yes. He must have wanted to test it out here. Haku, do you get the feeling though he hasn't gone full out yet?"

"Yeah."

"...He is going to level Konoha," Kakashi muttered before he went running. He found them still locked in combat, trying to reach the other through their cloaks. Naruto grabbed his tail and wrapped it around his neck and began to choke him with it. The tail then merged with the rest of the body and reformed. It wrapped around Naruto's waist and threw him back the way they came. Naruto dug his claws into the floor, stopping himself. He then raised a fist, pulled it back, and threw it. The claw stretched, stabbed into Gaara, and pulled him back. While the other grabbed his spear again. Back in the arena, they began to circle each other.

"_**So, you are a monster as well?"**_

"Not quite. I hold one, we came to terms, but I am not a monster... Well, physically. I'm sure many, _many,_ people would think otherwise. Isn't it strange, two jinchuuriki here at the same time as Orochimaru. If we had fought during the finals instead of now, the damage would have been much worst." He stabbed with his spear, hitting Gaara's arm and blowing a chuck of sand off. He then spun around, hitting the end of it against his head, and then slamming the butt against his stomach. Gaara kept the presence of mind to jumped back to avoid the next attack. Naruto spun again, bring the blade down in a angled slash. Gaara then jumped forward again, trying to catch him unprepared. But Naruto's tails grabbed his arms and tail. Naruto tripped him, raised his spear, and stabbed down again. It just touched the sand over his eye when Naruto stopped. Everyone was frozen, even Gaara, waiting to see what Naruto would do.

"Yield," Naruto told him. "I would rather destroy a whole village than kill someone like me. Someone that fought like a demon. Yield, so that one day we can do this again, when you have more experience. Who knows, maybe on that day, we can fully release ourselves."

"_**...You are looking forward to it?"**_

"Of course. You know when was the last time I had a workout like this?"

"_**When you face Kitsune the Immortal?"**_

"Yup. He was a tough son of a bitch."

After a moment, the sand fell away. "What make you so much stronger than me without giving in to your demon?"

"Experience...and loving those close to me, my friend." His cloak fell away as well. "Well?"

"...I yield. And I look forward to facing you again in combat." Naruto moved back and helped him up. "And when I do, I will kill you."

"Of course, combat to the death is always more fun." Naruto rested his spear on his shoulder and his arms on it. He deactivated his Demon Eye as well as the Demon Seal as he decided to call it. "Hey proctor, what's next?"

—oo000oo—

"No way," Haku muttered when he heard them call their numbers.

"First match, Fujin versus Vixen. Second match, Sai versus Sabaku no Kankuro. Third match, Shin versus Haku. Fourth Match Temari versus Haruno Sakura," Ibiki told them.

"Wow...the last match if the starting one," Shin stated. "Bro, think one of them will forfeit?"

"Nope," Haku told him. "This is no different from home. They spar against each other as they are the only ones that can fight one another on near even footing when going all out. Even I... She was a quiet girl but Fujin needed her stronger, then needed her. I wonder, truly, who would win if Fujin ever desired the Mizukage title."

"And Vixen is as strong as him," Sakura asked.

"Almost. And I am third among us."

"Just how strong are you," Sai asked him. He didn't expect an answer so was shocked when Fujin did.

"We are the Sannin of Water." He turned to Vixen. "Now about that pizza. I will try to find us some. If not, I believe I found a good ramen stand called Ichruka." He put his arm around her waist and they walked out. "Hey, Haku, make sure to catch any details we miss."

"Sure thing, Blade."

It didn't take them long to get back to Konoha. Naruto moved the curtain for Hinata and sat down on the stool beside her. "Excuse me, sir, we would like to rent out the shop for the afternoon."

Teuchi looked at him like he lost his mind. "We don't do that in this king of store."

Naruto laid down a gold coin. "I'm sure you can for us, sir."

"...Ayame, I think I have been inside for too long. A Kiri ninja just laid a gold coin down to rent the store for a while."

Ayame sighed and walked over to him. "Have you been drinking saki... Oh my goodness."

"Is that a yes? Or do I have to take that back," Naruto asked them. He started to reach for it when Ayame rushed to the door and closed it.

"We welcome your service sir," she told him. "What would you like to eat?"

Naruto chuckled and pulled off his mask. "Hey, how you been."

"...Naruto," Teuchi asked in disbelief. "How you been, my boy!?" he reached across the counter and pulled him into a hug.

"I've been good, Tueshi-san." He grunted when Ayame hugged him from behind.

"I can't believe it! Our little Naruto is finally back!"

"Ahem," Hinata said, pulling her mask off.

Ayame looked at her and then back to Naruto. "Finally got yourself a girlfriend, eh? Wait a minute. This is the armor of Fujin the Blade! I've seen him walking around."

"It is," Naruto replied. "Which fits because I am Fujin the Blade. This is Hinata, more commonly known as Vixen the Handmaiden."

Teuchi smirked. "She is beautiful, Naruto. How did you get her as a girlfriend?"

"...That is still complicated."

"How is it complicated," Ayame asked him.

"Because I am viewed as Naruto-kun's slave."

Ayame and Teuchi rounded on Naruto. "Slave!? What the hell were you thinking!?"

"She isn't actually my slave! I only said she was to protect her."

"Oh," they replied. "So, what do you want to eat, Naruto," Teuchi asked.

"Give me three shrimp, three chicken, three beef, a Naruto special, and three miso. What would you like, my hime?"

"Just a shrimp. I miss sea food. And pizza. Oh, Kami, I want a pizza."

Naruto rested his head against hers and gave her a kiss. "Hime, you eat anymore and people will think you are a pizza junky."

"I need my fix," she replied before returning that kiss.

"Hey, this is a restruraunt," Teuchi protested. "You want to do that, get a hotel. I'll be right back with your order."

Ayame sat down next to Naruto. "So, what is it like in Kiri?"

"Now, it is very nice," Naruto told her. "It took a bit of time, and some intimidation, but once that people were willing to let change happen, it went fast and easy. Things there are so much better than before. Plus, everyone there is willing to be nice to me. Only one thing is missing."

"What is that," she asked.

"Icharuka Ramen," Hinata told her. "He has gone to every single ramen stand in Water but he can't find one as good."

"I can't help it if I have high standards... Ayame, how much would it cost me to get you and the old man to move to Kiri?"

"What? Just like that?"

"Just like that. Hey, Teuchi-san, how about you move to Kiri?"

"Why?"

"I miss your cooking! Come on, please!?"

He sighed. "Naruto, that kind of thing isn't cheap."

"I'll pay for it," he reached for his check book.

"Plus the sentimental value... I don't think even Fujin the Blade makes enough to cover that cost." Naruto thought about it for a moment before writing a number down and pushing the check over to him. "I told you... WHOA! Apparently, you do. Ayame, get my reading glasses, I need to know if I am seeing this right."

"Let me see... I will start packing tonight."

Tuechi looked from the check and then to Naruto. "...Where did you get this kind of money?"

"Would you believe that before Gatou passed away, he felt generous and gave it to me?"

"No."

"In that case, after I killed him, I stole everything he was worth. Gatou Shipping is now owned by Kiri. While his personal fortune is owned by me."

"Kami's blue panties!" He looked at the check. "This is a drop in the bucket, isn't it?"

"A small drop. My ramen?"

"Right away, sir!" He put the check in his pocket and got to cooking. "Will it be hard to find a shop?"

Naruto made a kage bunshin and sent it after one of the other Kiri teams. They were heading back so they could get the D ranked mission request turned in for him. "Not anymore. By the end of the month, we will escort you to Kiri and you will have a shop there waiting for its head chef and best waitress."

"This is so bizarre," Ayame stated. "We... Dad, with that kind of money, we could even open up a chain or retire... Not that we would, of course."

"Oh, good. For a second, I thought that you were just going to move to Kiri. Still a good thing but I would still miss my ramen."

"Never," Teuchi replied. "...Hinata, was it? What is a 'pizza'?"

"Heaven," she replied. "Tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, ham, hamburger, bacon bit, black olives, pineapple, just about anything you can imagine cooked on a warm, savory bread pie. I am really getting hungry."

Naruto chuckled. "Hinata's favorite is what is called the 'Hawaiin style' pizza. Pineapple and ham slices with American cheese. Even I love it."

"Sounds like tough compitision," Ayame stated. "Is it big?"

"Yeah, eighteen inches across for a large."

"I meant pizza itself?"

"Across the ocean, where it comes from, it is the Ramen for their country. People eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"We'll treat you to some when we get home," Hinata told them.

—oo000oo—

The leaves crunched under his boots as he walked. He wasn't a ranger, silence wasn't his concern. Fighting was. "We should hurry." He was squat and broad. A red, braided beard hung from his chin to be tucked into his belt.

"Patience my battle hungry friend," a much taller and far more lithe figure told him. "I am sure this is the place we seek."

"My spells are never wrong," another lithe figure replied. "What we search for is here." She brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear, revealing it was pointed.

"Aye," another stocky man stated. "If nothing else, the lass is right about that."

"You speak as if I mess up often," she complained.

"Nah, just often enough to make one wary," he told her.

"Slip, stop," the second speaker told him. "Damson was inexperienced, like we all were at one time."

"Aye...but we never pulled on a rope that turned out to be a ogre dinner bell."

"I slipped! And before you look to my faults, Slip Knotter, look to your own. You are a self proclaimed thief!"

"Fighter thief, lass."

"We are all fighters," the first said. "I just happen to be the only pure."

"Batt, you are a battle rager," the second speaker replied. "That hardly makes you a fighter. More like a force of nature." Batt Rocklin laughed hard at that.

Damson waved a hand in front of her nose. "A smelly one at that."

"Stop complaining," Slip said to her. "Fayell, what does you goddess tell you?"

"That what we seek is ahead of us." He tightened his knuckles around the shaft of a hammer. "I have a feeling though it will lead us to battle first."

They were an odd bunch to look at. Batt was dressed head to toe in spiked, plate armor. He carried an ax and hammer at his waist. His head was shaved and intricate tattoos decorated his scalp. Slip was dressed in leather armor that seemed more like cloth. It also changed color with the foilage and trees. A short sword and dagger hung from his waist. And each finger was a ring.

Damson was the most peculiar. She wore a cloak and bracers. But beyond that, she wore no armor. Her clothes were fine cotton, made to form. Strapped to her back was a sword almost as tall as her. In her hands was a staff that seemed to brim with power. While she herself was beautiful to the extreme. Her face was angular and sharp. Her eyes were the color of fresh green leaves and her hair the color of shadowed snow. And on her shoulder was a small serpent like creature with wings and two legs. On the end of its tail was a scorpion stinger.

The last one was the one that defied logic. Fayell had blond hair the color that most didn't keep pass childhood. His eyes the were sapphire blue. His features were angular and sharp like Damson and with her pointed ears. But where she was little more than five three, he stood head and shoulders taller. His armor was plate mail but made no sound. A cloak with a manta-ray sew on it covered his back, barely hiding the large shield there. His belt held a few emeralds and was made of metal as well. His gauntlets had a ruby over the back of the hand. Behind the shield and sticking over each shoulder was a sword hilt. Below the shield was a quiver. Tied to his waist was the hammer, one so large that one someone of his height with great strength could wield it. In his hand was a bow that should have been impossible for someone of his frail appearance to draw. But it also looked like Fayell wasn't strong enough to move under all that weight, much less how smoothly he did. A creature similar to the one on Damson was on his shoulder. But without the stinger and his scales were the color of mercury.

"Ariel, Goddess of Combat and Dragons, guide us to find your spear." he muttered softly.

—oo000oo—

Author's Notes: I think I have a winner. All the stories so far since the completion of Sound of a Jinchuuriki and Forgotten Few have been things to catch my own interest. And they have, just not enough. I hope this one does.


End file.
